Matthew Benham: Brentford FC Owner, Net Worth & Club Leadership Explained

Brentford are widely considered one of the most well-run clubs across the Premier League. The Bees were promoted to the Premier League in 2021 and have fought hard to keep their place in the division, all while being smart with their transfer business and finances. Matthew Benham has done an admirable job in helping Brentford go from being in the third division (League One) to the Premier League in a decade after acquiring a majority ownership stake of Brentford FC in June, 2012.

The Brentford owner, Matthew Benham, has seen the club's valuation soar to £400 million during his tenure. The Bees finished above the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the 2024-25 Premier League, strengthening their value and going on to highlight the good work of Matthew Benham.

Who Is Matthew Benham - Brentford Owner?

Matthew Benham became the Brentford owner in 2012 after the former owners, the Bees United Supporters trust, unanimously voted to help him acquire a 100% ownership stake. Bees United Supports' Trust holds a ‘Golden Share’ that gives them the ability to veto key decisions. Benham had initially offered the club a £3 million loan to avoid going into administration in 2007, and went on to acquire 100% ownership in 2012.

Benham is a British businessman who is a long-term Brentford FC fan and started supporting the club from the age of 11, when he attended his first match in 1979. Matthew Benham did his primary education at the Slough Grammar School in Berkshire. He went on to graduate from Oxford University in 1989 with a degree in physics. He went on to work as a hedge fund manager and derivatives trader for Deutsche Bank in the 1990s and went on to serve as a vice president for the Bank of America.

Benham entered the sports gambling industry after the turn of the century. In 2001, he worked under Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom for Premier Bet. He started using a statistical model to aid professional gamblers, and in 2004, Matthew Benham founded Smartodds.

Matthew Benham Primary Businesses

Before becoming the Brentford owner, Matthew Benham worked hard to build up his key sources of income. He founded the gambling odds company Smartodds in 2004, hiring Lancashire University professor Stuart Coles to help him with the statistical prediction model.

After seeing his Smartodds company flourish, Matthew Benham was also able to acquire sports betting exchange company Matchbook. In 2011, Benham agreed to become part of an investors' group named Triplebet Limited, which acquired Matchbook, becoming a partial owner of the brand.

Matthew Benham Net Worth

The question which rises is how much is Matthew Benham worth? Matthew Benham Net Worth has soared over the last few decades because of his smart business operations. He has acquired the majority of his wealth from the profits made by Smartodds, which Matthew Benham founded 2004. He's also earned profits from Matchbook, and thanks to his investment in Brentford and some other football clubs.

Note: Net worth is approximate and based on available data from various sources.

Brentford Management Personnel

The Brentford FC owner is Matt Benham, but he is aided by many people working under him in their management structure. That includes a Chairman, CEO and Director of Football to ensure smooth operations.

Brentford Sporting Director

Phil Giles has been the director of football (or sporting director) of Brentford since 2015. He has been closely associated with Matthew Benham since becoming a quantitative analyst for Smartodds in 2007. Benham has entrusted him with a role at Brentford for over a decade. Giles has gained his popularity for implementing a recruitment strategy at Brentford that uses traditional scouting methods as well as tools based on mathematical modelling.

Giles graduated with mathematics and statistics honors at Newcastle University and held the Newcastle United season ticket from 1990-2015. He has a PHD in statistics and has played a pivotal role in making smart transfers as Brentford sporting director. Phil Giles has gained popularity for making some economic signings, which include signing Ollie Watkins for £1.5 million as well as signing the likes of Ben Mee, Christian Eriksen, and Ivan Toney in highly economical deals.

Other Sports Teams Owned By Matthew Benham

Apart from the Brentford Owner, Matthew Benham has invested in other sporting teams as well. Matthew Benham became FC Midtjylland's majority shareholder in 2014, but sold his shares to Danish Businessman Anders Povlsen in 2023. In April 2025, Matthew Benham also acquired Spanish third-tier side Merida AD, with Brentford entering into a multi-club system with the Spanish team.

Brentford Ownership History: From Past to Present

Brentford FC was formed on 10 October 1889 by members of the Brentford Rowing Club. Brentford operated as a fan-owned side, mostly consisting of members of the Brentford Rowing Club and Brentford Cricket Club. Nottingham MP (Minister of Parliament) Jack Dunnett took control of the club in 1961 and operated it for six years before selling it to a consortium of businessmen led by Ron Blindell. British businessman Ron Noades acted as Brentford's owner from 1998-2006, before the Club's Supporters' Trust sold the entire ownership stake to Matthew Benham in 2012.