Club

Kathleen Krüger appointed board member for sport at HSV

The 40-year-old club executive joins Hamburger SV from FC Bayern München after 17 years working in a variety of roles for the record champions, and will assume overall responsibility for HSV’s sporting operations going forward.

The HSV supervisory board has filled the vacant position on the executive board of HSV Fußball Management AG: Kathleen Krüger will assume the role of the club’s new board member for sport on 1st July this year. Following the end of her playing career in 2009, the 40-year-old has held a variety of roles at FC Bayern München, most recently serving as senior leading expert in sport strategy & development, overseeing sporting strategy and the structural development of the German record champions.

“By appointing Kathleen Krüger, HSV is securing the services of a highly respected figure who has worked at the highest international level for many years at FC Bayern München. Over the course of 17 years, she has gained extensive experience in the sometimes emotionally charged environment of an elite club, helped shape key processes and demonstrated exceptional organisational and leadership skills. She combines sporting expertise, strategic thinking and outstanding communication skills, and will in future assume overall responsibility for HSV’s sporting department. Together with board member Eric Huwer, she will play a decisive role in shaping the club’s strategic development going forward,” explained Michael Papenfuß, chairman of the supervisory board of HSV Fußball Management AG.

“We consciously gave ourselves the necessary time and sense of calm to fill this executive board position in the best possible way, in line with HSV’s goals and values. This was possible because the individuals involved did an outstanding job. Focused and composed, with the strength of the entire organisation behind them, they mastered numerous challenges,” added Henrik Köncke, supervisory board member of HSV Fußball Management AG and president of HSV e.V., reflecting on the selection process. He continued: “As part of a professionally managed process, we held numerous discussions over several months and intensively reviewed different profiles. Kathleen Krüger stood out throughout the process on both a personal and professional level, while also presenting a clear and compelling vision.”

Krüger: “It is a privilege to help shape the future of Hamburger SV”

“I’m absolutely delighted by the trust that has been placed in me. It is a genuine privilege to help shape Hamburger SV, one of the biggest names in German football, in such a decisive sporting role, building for the future. I have followed the club’s positive development in recent years very closely and with great admiration for what has been achieved here. That makes me even more excited to get to join Eric Huwer, all those in roles of responsibility at the club, the staff and the teams across men’s and women’s football, as well as youth development, as we continue on this journey, and I’m looking forward to actively helping to shape HSV’s future,” emphasised the executive, who grew up near Munich.

For Kathleen Krüger, the appointment marks a move from her native southern Germany to the north of the country. During her active career, she played for FC Bayern München between 2003 and 2009 and made 33 appearances in the Bundesliga, alongside representing the side in other competitions, before moving into the club management side of the game at the German record champions following her retirement from professional football. A graduate of the DFL/DFB Management in Professional Football programme, she initially worked as an assistant to the executive board before taking over team management responsibilities for the first team from 2012 onwards for many years. In that role, she worked with coaches including Jupp Heynckes, Hansi Flick, Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola, earning widespread respect and admiration within the team. Most recently, Krüger held the position of senior leading expert in sport strategy & development. She now takes on a new challenge at HSV and, with her move to the Rothosen, becomes the first female board member for sport in Bundesliga history.