Frank Baumann appointed as FC Schalke 04’s new board member for sport

Baumann impressed the supervisory board with his competence, clarity and assuredness. “We’re really happy that we’ve been able to hire Frank Baumann, an absolute expert and highly respected figure in the world of football. During our conversations, Frank made it very clear where he sees opportunities and challenges in order to lead Schalke back to the Bundesliga on a long-term basis,” explained Axel Hefer, chairman of the supervisory board and part of the selection committee, which had held numerous discussions with potential candidates over the past few months. Hefer added: “In the final phase of our search, we had a selection of top candidates, with whom the discussions were conducted confidentially and in a very trusting atmosphere. After the conclusion of these talks, the assessment by the selection committee – and by the entire supervisory board – was clear: Frank Baumann brings exactly what Schalke 04 needs to achieve its sporting goals in the future.”

With over 30 years of experience in professional football – initially as a player then in various managerial roles – Baumann is exactly what the supervisory board were looking for. “Proven sporting expertise, clarity and consistency in decision-making, as well as the successful implementation of concepts – all of this applies to Frank Baumann. He managed to lead Werder Bremen out of a difficult situation by restoring the club to a new strength in a sustainable manner,” explained Hefer. “On top of that, Frank is an absolute team player. He’s always shown total loyalty and puts the club’s best interests first. After a successful playing career, he’s practically held all the various sport management roles in football and therefore knows exactly how to develop a functioning structure.”

Energy and motivation

Baumann is looking forward to taking up his new position with the Royal Blues. “Firstly, I would like to thank the supervisory board for their trust and for our productive discussions. The search process was highly professional and extremely confidential. Schalke 04 are a club with a rich history, a large fan base and a lot of potential,” Baumann said. Before making a decision, Baumann met with the club’s management team. “I’m looking forward to working together with Matthias Tillmann and Christina Rühl-Hamers. We were immediately able to connect in a productive and promising way. I also wanted to seek out Youri Mulder and Ben Manga for a meeting. I had good discussions with both, and the message was clear: both want to continue on this journey and work to bring sporting success back to Schalke 04. This sort of commitment is very important to me.”

Schalke’s new board member for sport is well aware of the challenges his new role brings, saying, “We have a lot to do, there’s no doubt about that. I will use the weeks prior to officially taking up the position to prepare myself as best as possible. I’m convinced that with our fans, employees and the energy of this club that we will be able to make a different together – step by step, but also with a clear goal: to make Schalke into a sustainable and successful first-division club once again.”

Experienced both and off the pitch

Baumann made his professional debut for 1. FC Nürnberg in 1994. Five years later, he joined SV Werder Bremen. While at the club, Baumann made his senior debut for Germany (28 caps), finishing runners-up at the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan. With the Green-Whites, Baumann lifted the Bundesliga title in 2004, in addition to winning the DFB-Pokal twice (2004, 2009).

He featured in nearly 500 competitive games before announcing his retirement from professional football in 2009. Baumann then stepped into a management role at SVW in 2010, first as an executive assistant before taking up a position as the club’s head of scouting. A few months later, he was appointed as Werder’s director of professional football. In May 2016, Baumann took up the position as Bremen’s managing director for sport, a role he held until he stepped down voluntarily in summer 2024.

Baumann will now bring his many years of experience – from the dressing room to the boardroom – with him to Gelsenkirchen, where he will seek to help shape the future of FC Schalke 04.