On the site you’ll find five members of United staff including Hannah McLean, information security officer, and Gemma Thompson, senior talent and player access manager.
“I don’t have a background in sport, I fell into it,” Hannah (pictured above, far left) tells us. “I gained many skills from my degree. You’d be surprised by what’s transferable – debating skills, problem-solving, negotiating with stakeholders. Technology enables women to move into the industry – it reduces the barrier to entry. It’s about learning specific trends or disciplines and upskilling yourself.”
Hannah is keen to encourage more women to move into sport technology and believes there can be a misconception around the industry. “You don’t need to be an expert in the football industry,” she insists. “There are other roles across the business, but it is important to not be put off as this isn’t just for men.”
As for Gemma, the real thrill lies in the ever-evolving landscape of sport technology. “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is to keep learning,” the senior talent and player access manager says. “Sport tech is developing all the time. It can be difficult to prioritise the time but it is so important to sit down and look at the data, do research and learn. Every day is different – I feel very lucky and make sure to not lose sight of that.”
