The VfB Stuttgart AG supervisory board has named Alexander Wehrle as new CEO. 46-year-old Wehrle will take up the position in April 2022, following on from Thomas Hitzlsperger who has decided not to extend his contract.
“Thomas Hitzlsperger has changed VfB for the better during his time as CEO and left his mark on the club. Finding a suitable successor to be able not only to continue where he will leave off but to help VfB to develop further is the number one priority for the supervisory board,“ said Claus Vogt, President and chairman of the supervisory board. “We are delighted to have found the right person for this task in Alexander Wehrle, who in recent years has had real success with 1. FC Köln and moreover who is one of the highest-profile CEOs in German professional football. He will not only have the necessary expertise to lead VfB through this challenging period, but will be a real asset to us with his network and his status in the sector. He is also a home-grown VfB product who knows the club, its values and its structures. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank 1. FC Köln for the discussions that we have had with them, which were always conducted very fairly.“
“I am delighted to be coming home after nine very intensive years in Cologne, for which I will always be very thankful,” said Wehrle . “My attachment to VfB remained as strong as ever throughout this time. I would like to thank my supervisory board for the open discussions and the trust which they showed me. As is the case with many other big clubs with long-standing traditions, VfB is currently facing enormous challenges, not the least of which being the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am keen to make my contribution to this. Over recent years, VfB has chosen a path that looks to be a successful one, and I am looking forward to continuing the good work in conjunction with my colleagues on the board, the sporting management of the club, the directors and all of the staff. I can’t wait to get started on it all.”
Wehrle was born in Bietigheim-Bissingen in 1975. He studied administrative science, public policy and management in Constance and Limerick and began his professional career in 2003 at VfB Stuttgart, where he was representative of the board up until 2013. He then moved to 1. FC Köln, who were in Bundesliga 2 at the time. Since 2019, he has been a member of the German Football League (DFL) board.