Amanda Staveley, a prominent British financier and businesswoman, has carved a niche in the world of high-stakes investments and football club acquisitions. With an estimated net worth of $170 million, Staveley is best known for her role as a director of PCP Capital Partners and her involvement in significant deals, including the Saudi-led takeover of Newcastle United Football Club in 2021.
Early Life and Education
Amanda Louise Staveley was born on April 11, 1973, in Ripon, England, making her 51 years old as of 2024. She was raised in a family with strong business and sports ties. Her mother, Lynne Staveley, was a champion show jumper, while her father, Robert Staveley, founded the Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park in North Stainley.
Staveley attended Queen Margaret’s School for Girls, where she followed in her mother’s footsteps by competing in show jumping. She later enrolled at St. Catharine’s College, University of Cambridge, but left before completing her degree due to the emotional toll following her grandfather’s death.
Early Career Ventures
Staveley began her entrepreneurial journey in 1996 with the purchase of the Bottisham restaurant Stocks, funded by a £180,000 loan. The restaurant, located near Newmarket, connected her to influential figures in the horse racing community, including members of the Dubai-based Al Maktoum family. Her proximity to Cambridge also allowed her to network with technology industry leaders, leading her to become a notable angel investor in dot-com startups and biotech firms during the late 1990s.
In 2000, Staveley transitioned from the restaurant business to open the Q.ton conference center at the Cambridge Science Park. She sold a 49% share of Q.ton to EuroTelecom, but the company went bankrupt following the dot-com bubble burst, causing financial setbacks for Staveley and leading to the eventual closure of Q.ton.
Establishing PCP Capital Partners
Following the closure of Q.ton, Staveley relocated to Dubai, where she expanded her business connections across the Middle East. In 2008, she co-founded PCP Capital Partners with Craig Eadie. While the firm is based in London, it operates through offshore private equity vehicles, primarily facilitating investments from Middle Eastern investors.
One of her earliest and most significant successes with PCP came in 2008 when she brokered Sheikh Mansour’s £210 million acquisition of Manchester City Football Club through the Abu Dhabi United Group. During the same period, she was involved in negotiations for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to acquire a 49% stake in Liverpool FC, although this deal did not materialize.
Staveley earned widespread recognition for her role in facilitating a £7.3 billion investment in Barclays by the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Qatar, securing a £30 million fee for her efforts. This deal was instrumental in helping Barclays avoid a government bailout during the 2008 financial crisis.
The Newcastle United Takeover
Staveley made multiple attempts to purchase Newcastle United. Her initial bid in 2017 failed, as did her 2020 attempt in collaboration with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). Persistence paid off in October 2021, when she led a consortium including the Reuben Brothers and PIF to acquire the club for £300 million. She now serves as a director alongside Jamie Reuben and Yasir bin Othman Al-Rumayyan.
The acquisition faced criticism, particularly over concerns of “sportswashing” due to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record. However, Staveley defended the takeover, emphasizing the PIF’s independence from the Saudi government.
Other Notable Deals
Beyond football, Staveley has played a key role in numerous high-profile transactions. She fronted the Qatar Investment Authority’s bid to acquire Trillium in 2008, although this bid was unsuccessful. She also advised Barwa, a Qatari property investment firm, on acquiring the Park House site in London in 2010. In 2012, she helped a Middle Eastern private equity group purchase the Arundel Great Court site in London.
Personal Life
Staveley’s personal life has also attracted media attention. She previously dated Prince Andrew, Duke of York, during the early 2000s, a relationship that drew widespread tabloid interest. In 2011, she married British-Iranian financier Mehrdad Ghodoussi, further solidifying her ties to the financial sector.
Amanda Staveley’s Net Worth and Influence
With a net worth of approximately $170 million, Amanda Staveley remains a formidable figure in international finance. Her expertise in bridging Western opportunities with Middle Eastern capital has positioned her as a trusted intermediary in some of the most significant financial deals of the past two decades.
Looking ahead, Staveley’s continued involvement with Newcastle United and her track record of ambitious investments suggest that her influence in the world of sports and finance will only continue to grow.
