Bundesliga: RB Leipzig name Tatjana Haenni as new CEO

RB Leipzig have moved to complete their long-term leadership restructuring by appointing Tatjana Haenni as the club’s new CEO, effective 1 January 2026.

A Wednesday club statement on its official website obtained by our correspondent disclosed this.

According to the release, the decision fills the vacancy created after the departure of Oliver Mintzlaff and comes at a moment when the club is refining its organisational model to meet growing domestic and international demands.

Haenni, 59, will lead the management board alongside Johann Plenge, who is responsible for business operations, Florian Hopp, who oversees administration, and Marcel Schäfer, who heads the sporting department, it noted.

“The quartet will guide Leipzig’s development as the club continues to expand its infrastructure, most recently through the opening of new offices and the introduction of additional growth-focused processes across departments,” it read.

As part of the revised structure, Plenge, 40, will also assume the role of Deputy Chair of the Management Board.

In addition to his existing brief, he will take charge of national and international federation and league relations, an area identified by the club as rising in strategic importance.

Supervisory Board Chair Oliver Mintzlaff said the club found the profile it sought in Haenni.

“We are extremely pleased to have been able to appoint Tatjana Haenni as a strong leader in the position of CEO at RB Leipzig.

“In our discussions, she impressed us and the committees with her expertise, as well as her combination of specialist knowledge, leadership strength and strategic thinking.

“We expect that she will provide new input and fresh impetus, helping us to remain well-equipped for the future and continue to meet rising demands.

“Tatjana Haenni is a team player, and we are convinced that together with Johann Plenge, Marcel Schäfer, Florian Hopp and the entire management team, she will successfully shape the club’s next stages of development,” the website quoted Mintzlaff as saying.

Haenni pointed to the tone of the hiring process and the collaborative nature of the role as she looked ahead to her start date.

“I am very much looking forward to this new role and to working with Johann Plenge, Florian Hopp, Marcel Schäfer, as well as all employees.

“My discussions with the club’s leadership were marked by trust and appreciation, and I am convinced that with strong teamwork and a focus on RB Leipzig’s strengths, we can tap into significant potential.

“I can’t wait to get started in January and to get to know the club on a deeper level. Together, we want to continue on what is already a successful path, and achieve our ambitious goals,” she said.

PUNCH Online reports that there are unconfirmed reports as of press time naming her the first female CEO of a German football club.

A one-time Swiss international with 23 caps, Haenni transitioned from her playing career into senior administrative positions across European and global football, holding roles at UEFA, FIFA and the Swiss Football Association (SFV).

RB Leipzig, created in 2009 through the takeover of a fifth-division side, progressed rapidly through the German league system and reached the Bundesliga in 2016. The club has since collected two German Cup titles and advanced to the 2020 Champions League semi-finals.

In January 2025, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp assumed the role of Red Bull’s global head of football, taking charge of a multi-club structure featuring teams in Leipzig, New York and Bragantino.