David Bernstein (executive)

David Bernstein
David Bernstein in 2011
Born	22 May 1943 (1943-05-22) (age 74) St Helens, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom
Nationality	British
Occupation	Chartered accountant Chairman of The FA businessman
Years active	1994–present

David Alan Bernstein CBE (born 22 May 1943) is a British business executive who is the chairman of the British Red Cross, member of the advisory board at Cogress Ltd and was the former chairman of French Connection.

A Chartered Accountant by profession, Bernstein has also been involved in the footballing world and was the chairman of Manchester City F.C. from 1998 to 2003, a period of revival and stability in the club's 130-year history and is generally held in high regard by Manchester City supporters for helping to pull the club out of its nadir.

Bernstein is also President of Level Playing Field and Chair of the Centre for Access to Football in Europe. He has been chairman of Wembley Stadium Limited since July 2008, during which he has renegotiated the £341m loan that has ensured the stadium's financial future would be more manageable.

Bernstein was the FA chairman from January 2011 until his 70th birthday in May 2013, having been selected as Lord Triesman's replacement by the FA Council in December 2010. He said that his main priorities as chairman were reducing dissent and increasing respect in English football, establishing closer links with FIFA to gain greater influence in international football and enforcing a fairer playing field financially.

Bernstein began supporting Manchester City in 1954 and watched the 1956 FA Cup Final between City and Birmingham City, despite it coinciding with the day of his Bar Mitzvah. He joined Manchester City in 1994 as a board member and replaced outgoing chairman Francis Lee as chairman in 1998.

He inherited the role at a time when the once famous team of the 1960 and 70s was an ailing side plummeting into the depths of the Football League. The club reached their nadir when they were relegated to the old Football League Division Two in 1998, which was then the third tier of English football – the only time in Manchester City's 130-year history they have been in the third tier.