Dreesen takes office as Hopfner steps down

There was a metaphorical changing of the guard at Bayern on Friday when Jan-Christian Dreesen officially took over from Karl Hopfner as executive board director. At an informal breakfast featuring typical Bavarian Weißwurst, the club again thanked Hopfner for his long service and welcomed the new member of the Bayern family.

In a brief address to the club’s directors and department heads, Dreesen described his new appointment as “something out of the ordinary and a major departure in my professional career." The new man is thoroughly looking forward to the job: “In the years to come, I'll invest all the energy I have."

Gratitude to Hopfner

Following Hopfner's decision not to extend his employment contract with the club beyond its expiry at the end of last year, the supervisory board appointed Dreesen to the executive board last September. Hopfner, described by Karl-Heinz Rummenigge as “the positive soul of Bayern Munich," served the club for almost 30 years as managing director, board director and deputy chairman, contributing significantly to Bayern's growth into a global brand.