Kathleen Krüger will establish herself as the first permanent sports executive in the history of the Bundesliga. The 40-year-old, formerly associated with FC Bayern München, is set to join Hamburger SV (HSV) starting July 1st, as the club announced on Tuesday.
Since retiring from active playing, Krüger has worked for FC Bayern München on several different fronts since 2009. Her most recent high-profile role was “Senior Leading Expert Sport Strategy & Development” where she was responsible for the club’s overall sports strategy and structural development.
HSV Supervisory Board Chairman Michael Papenfuß commented on the hiring, stating, “With Kathleen Krüger, HSV gains a professional personality who has worked at the highest international level for many years at FC Bayern München”. Papenfuß added that Krüger’s seventeen years with the top club presented invaluable experience in an often emotional environment, demonstrating exceptional organizational and leadership capabilities while shaping processes. He concluded that “she combines sporting competency, strategic thinking, and strong communication skills, and will take overall responsibility for the sports department at HSV”.
Krüger replaces Stefan Kuntz, whom the club separated from earlier this year in January.