CEO Watzke to leave Borussia Dortmund management next year

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke will leave the Bundesliga club's management in the autumn of 2025, Dortmund said on Monday in a note to shareholders.

The statement said that Watzke, one of Germany's most important football officials, would not renew his managing director contract after 20 years in the position.

"It was always important to me that it would be a self-determined departure. It has been a long time," Watzke was quoted as saying at Dortmund's training camp in Spain by the Ruhr Nachrichten paper.

"I see it as a great privilege. I will do my job with full vigour and energy until the very last day."

Watzke, 64, said he will concentrate on strategy and the transition in the final year in office.

"The Executive Committee has asked me to hold talks, develop ideas and draw up a concept for overall responsibility. I have agreed to this," he said.

Watzke became managing director in 2005 when the club was in big financial trouble and he helped turned their fortunes around.

During his era Dortmund won two Bundesliga titles and three German Cups, highlighted by their first domestic double in 2012 under coach Jürgen Klopp. Dortmund also reached the 2013 Champions League final.

Watzke had initially planned to step down in 2021, but amid the coronavirus pandemic agreed to stay for another term until 2025.

Watzke is the CEO of the German Football League (DFL) and a vice-president of the German Football Federation (DFB). He is in the executive committee of the European body UEFA, on a term which also ends next year.