Birmingham City appoint former Meta man as new commercial chief

Birmingham City Football Club has announced the appointment of Stephen Haines as chief commercial officer new revenue streams.

Haines (pictured) brings with him nearly three decades of experience leading commercial strategy, brand partnerships, and global expansion at some of the world’s most transformative companies.

He previously spent 16 years at Meta (formerly Facebook), where he was among the company’s first international hires and played a pivotal role in its global expansion.

He led the establishment of Facebook’s first overseas office, drove the development of high-impact commercial partnerships across international markets, and was instrumental in launching Instagram’s advertising business, securing its first multi-million-dollar global deal.

Jeremy Dale, Birmingham City’s chief executive, said: “Stephen is a world-class operator who excels at building relationships, developing new opportunities, and navigating complex deal structures.

“We’re thrilled to welcome him to Birmingham City as we continue to build the senior leadership team that will deliver both our global ambition and local pride.”

In addition to Meta, Haines has also held senior roles at Yahoo and Viacom, where he was widely recognised for pioneering digital advertising strategies and shaping the early evolution of the global media landscape.

“It’s an honour to join Birmingham City at such an exciting and transformative time,” said Haines.

“Football has always been a personal passion, and I’m energised by the opportunity to bring innovation, creativity, and additional ambition to a Club with such a rich history and incredibly bright future.”