RB Leipzig on Wednesday appointed Tatjana Haenni as the club’s new chief executive, making her the first woman to hold such a position in German football history.
The 59-year-old Swiss will assume the role on January 1, heading Leipzig’s management board.
A former footballer, Haenni earned 23 caps for the Swiss national team. Since retiring, she has held prominent administrative roles at UEFA, FIFA, and the Swiss Football Association (SFV).
“I can’t wait to get started in January and to get to know the club on a deeper level,” Haenni said in a statement. “Together, we want to continue on what is already a successful path, and achieve our ambitious goals.”
Former CEO and current Red Bull executive Oliver Mintzlaff lauded Haenni’s “specialist knowledge, leadership and strategic thinking,” adding that she would “successfully shape the club’s next stages of development.”
Founded in 2009 by taking over a club in Germany’s fifth tier, RB Leipzig quickly rose through the ranks, reaching the Bundesliga in 2016. Since then, the club has won two German Cups and reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2020.
In January 2025, former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp became Red Bull’s global head of football, overseeing a network of clubs including Leipzig, New York Red Bulls, and Bragantino.
