Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke Announces 2025 Departure

Watzke's Tenure Marked by Club's Recovery from Financial Crisis and Multiple Championship Wins

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim 'Aki' Watzke has announced he will step down in 2025 when his contract ends.
Watzke, who has been with Dortmund since 2001, played a significant role in steering the club through a financial crisis in the mid-2000s.
Under Watzke's leadership, Dortmund won the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012, the German Cup in 2012, 2017 and 2021, and reached the Champions League final in 2013.
Watzke extended his contract in 2021 to help the club navigate the financial strains of the coronavirus pandemic.
It remains unclear whether Watzke also plans to step down from his roles as vice president of the German soccer federation and chairman of the German soccer league’s supervisory board.