Zoe Ward is the business director at Norwich City Football Club, working alongside her husband, sporting director, Stuart Webber. They are responsible for the day-to-day running of the football club. With a background in football regulation, she has more than 20 years experience working in the football industry and has been responsible for the transfer of some of the game’s biggest names. The football business has been severely impacted by Covid-19 and the club’s losses as a result of the pandemic are currently sitting at around £30 million. Here she talks to Gina Long...

What’s the impact of COVID-19 and how are you adapting?

The pandemic has had a massive impact on the organisation; we’ve had to constantly adapt and respond to the changing landscapes in which we can operate. There has been the obvious impact of having no supporters in the stadium for well over a season, and a significant impact to our off-field revenues such as conferences, events and restaurants.

What is your connection to East Anglia?

Our connection to the region began in 2017 when we moved from Liverpool to Norwich to join the club. Irrespective of where we may end up there will always be a connection to the area, it’s where our son is growing up and all our early family memories are.

What is your East Anglian Heaven?

I love that you can drive 45 minutes to the coast and feel away from everything, along with having a city on your doorstep which offers so much in terms of restaurants, theatres, and shops.

What is your East Anglian Hell?

I hate trying to get to the north from the A47. Working in football means you travel a lot and there have been some long laborious car journeys on that stretch of road.

What’s your favourite East Anglian landmark?

It has to be Carrow Road, it’s not just about the stadium itself but the community it represents.

What’s the best thing that happens in East Anglia every year?

Run Norwich, which is run by the Club’s Foundation. It's amazing to see how the whole city comes together and how many people it attracts to the region.

What is your favourite restaurant?

We have two restaurants at the stadium - Delia’s, a fine dining restaurant and Yellows, a bar and grill. They are always my go-to places to eat. They are committed to excellent produce and everything is made from scratch. The Merchants of Spice in Thorpe is another go-to and a particular favourite for a lot of us at the club.

What is your specialist Mastermind subject?

Having a five-year-year old son, it would have to be the Cars Movies – there are not many characters I don’t know and I can probably recite most of the lines!

What is always in your fridge?

Milk - and that’s about it! As long as we can have a cup of Yorkshire tea all is good in the world.

What’s your simple philosophy of life?

Smile and the world smiles with you. Life is far too short to be negative.

What’s your favourite film?

That’s a tricky one, as I always fall asleep and I never like to watch things more than once. If I pick anything it’s nearly always based on a true story.

What was your first job?

My first full-time job after university was training as a tax accountant. It wasn’t long before I realised it wasn’t for me and very quickly fell into working in football.

What is your most treasured possession?

I’m not a massive one for possessions. I have some incredible mementos that I’ve acquired during my career that I’m sure I’ll look back on one day and reflect on.

Who do you admire most?

My husband, he is the most exceptional human being, amazingly driven and innately kind.

What is your biggest indulgence?

I’m committed to well-being and wellness and so it would have to be a little cabin sauna in the garden.

What do you like most about yourself?

That I love to give people the opportunity to grow and develop.

What’s your worst character trait?

I don’t let people speak enough – I need to listen more.

Where is your favourite holiday destination?

We’ve recently come back from Corfu and have had a couple of lovely family holidays there. We love the mix of city and beach in Barcelona and really enjoy spending time on the North Norfolk coast.

Best day of your life?

I can’t pick one…I truly treasure the simple days.

What’s your favourite breakfast?

Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and I’d have to go for poached eggs with avocado on sourdough toast.

What’s your favourite tipple?

I rarely drink these days but if I do it would be a gin and tonic.

What’s your hidden talent?

Dessert making – apparently I make a good one!

What’s your earliest memory?

My earliest memory is sat round the TV watching the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana. Now that has definitely aged me!

Tell us something people don’t know about you?

I am passionate about young people achieving their potential and this starts at a young age with children understanding the importance of good nutrition, sleep and movement. We are in the process of setting up a charitable foundation to help fund programmes and make grants to support this work.

What’s the worst thing anyone has ever said to you?

A previous MD I worked with said I was too ambitious and wanted things to happen too quickly. I immediately knew that wasn’t the right cultural environment for me when that was expressed as a criticism. Luckily I now work in an environment where we are encouraged to grow daily and push to make things happen.

Tell us why you live here and nowhere else?

Work has brought us here but we love it and it will always be home for us. It is a place you come to and settle in immediately, the county offers everything you need and we’re very lucky to live here. I don’t know why you would want to live anywhere else.

What do you want to tell our readers about most?

To think beyond just football at Norwich City. The club has so much to offer in terms of events, restaurants, community programmes and concerts. It is genuinely a place for everyone and offers a massive sense of community which is so often lost these days. For more information take a look at www.canaries.co.uk