Alex Hayes is a former sports journalist who specialised in football reporting in the UK and France. He previously worked for The Independent, TPS/Canal Plus and Sky Sports. He was then a respected football agent, whose clients included Robert Pires and Jérémie Aliadière. He also represented Eric Cantona in the UK. In May 2015, he became executive vice-president of Ligue 1's FC Lorient. He left the role in September 2017. Since May 2018, he has been the Sporting Director of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, a Brussels-based football club owned by Brighton chairman Tony Bloom.