Borussia Dortmund has solidified its leadership for the long term by appointing Carsten Cramer as the new Chairman of the Executive Board. The former spokesperson of the management board succeeds Hans-Joachim Watzke with immediate effect and has extended his contract until 30 June 2031.

The decision comes during a period of peak sporting form: BVB leads the Bundesliga with twelve points from four games and has won its last five competitive matches. This stability on the pitch is now to be mirrored in the executive suite.

Contract Extensions Across the Management Team

Alongside Cramer, the contracts of fellow managing directors Lars Ricken and Thomas Treß have also been extended ahead of schedule. Sporting director Ricken, a former BVB professional, is now tied to the club until 2030. Finance director Treß extended by one year at his own request until 2028, after which he plans to leave operational duties. Svenja Schlenker, responsible for personnel and girls' and women's football, remains under contract until 2028 as planned. The Presidential Committee of the Advisory Board approved the extensions to create long-term clarity.

Continuity and Future Vision

Outgoing chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke, who was elected president in November 2025, expressed confidence in the setup. He stated the management team possesses the experience and competence needed to lead the club successfully into the future. The initiated projects of the new corporate strategy aim to make Borussia Dortmund future-proof in sporting, economic, and cultural terms.

Carsten Cramer, who has been with BVB since 2010 and part of the executive management since 2018, aims to develop the club with clear principles. His goal is a sportingly successful, economically stable club firmly rooted in its values. The 57-year-old oversees strategy, communication, marketing, sales, digitalization, and internationalization. The next task for Cramer's team awaits on 9 October, when the league leaders host eighth-placed Werder Bremen at Signal Iduna Park.

Read the full report at Sueddeutsche Sport