Mark Ashton - Chief Executive Officer

Since arriving at Vicarage Road in June 2004, Mark Ashton, 36, has led the club to significant progress both on and off the pitch, reshaping the infrastructure behind the scenes while the team was winning promotion to the top division in May 2006.

In the 1990s, Mark played professional football for West Bromwich Albion and Walsall. At 19 he left the full-time game and established his own engineering business.

He returned to professional football as a 22-year-old when offered the opportunity to join the West Bromwich Albion coaching staff. By 1999, he had moved up to the club's Board and had direct responsibility for its entire commercial and football trust operations.

In 2004, Mark was invited to join Watford FC to lead the club's senior management team into one of the most exciting phases of its history.

Then in April 2007, Mark was appointed onto the Board of Directors. The move was made on the recommendation of Chairman Graham Simpson and supported by his fellow board members as recognition for the progress the club has made on and off the pitch under Ashton's leadership.