Karin Danner leaving – Bianca Rech becomes new head of department

FC Bayern will bid farewell to Karin Danner, who has successively developed and shaped the German record champions’ women’s section as general manager since 1995, at the end of this season. Her name is closely associated with all the success of recent decades, while her unparalleled commitment as head of the department has been crucial to the advancement of women’s football. Bianca Rech, who has worked for FC Bayern Women since 2016 as team manager and then sporting director, was named the new head of department on 1 April. After a joint transition phase, she will take over responsibility from 1 July.

Under Danner’s leadership as general manager, the Munich women have enjoyed much success including three German championships as well as one DFB Cup. With her tireless pioneering work, the former Bayern player has ensured that the women’s team has gradually developed into a big name, both nationally and internationally. Danner will retire at her own request on 30 June following the end of the current season.

Herbert Hainer, club president: “Karin Danner has been a pioneer in the development of FC Bayern’s women’s department over two decades. Anyone who speaks to her is immediately struck by her knowledge and passion for football as well as her enthusiasm for FC Bayern. Our women’s department is her life’s work – and she’s more than succeeded. Bianca Rech will continue Karin Danner’s successful work with the same dedication.”

Oliver Kahn, CEO: “Without Karin Danner, women’s football at FC Bayern would never be where it is today. She has shaped this special success story over a long period as player and particularly as general manager. Karin Danner will always be a face of FC Bayern, and FC Bayern owes her an immeasurable debt of gratitude.”

Jan-Christian Dreesen, executive vice-chairman: “What Karin Danner has achieved in the construction of our women’s football department is unique. She’s set standards which go far beyond sporting success. She approached things with vision – and FC Bayern will forever benefit from her work. Bianca Rech has already experienced FC Bayern as a player and has also impressed in her new role as sporting director. She will continue to push the department forward.“

Hasan Salihamidzic, board member for sport: “Karin Danner has always been a strong voice for women’s football and FC Bayern. She’s been an admirable general manager of our club’s women’s football department: bold, steadfast and visionary! I’d like to thank her for our pleasant working relationship and wish her all the very best.”

Karin Danner, FC Bayern Women general manager: “I can look back on the past decades in women’s football at FC Bayern with great gratitude and pride. What we have achieved and how everything has developed since the seventies is an incomparable success story. I am very happy that this journey will be continued – by the most suitable person I can imagine. Bianca Rech already left her heart on the pitch as a player at FC Bayern, has impressed in the sporting management for years and will continue to lead the fortunes of the women's department at FC Bayern with exactly the same ambition. I wish her and the whole team every success. We have a great future ahead of us, of that I am sure.”

Bianca Rech, FC Bayern Women sporting director: “It’s a great honour for me to take over responsibility for the department. Karin has shaped women’s football at FC Bayern for decades; she’s always championed, fought and convinced people. She will leave a big hole. She laid the foundation for everything here. When she brought me back to FC Bayern in 2016, she believed in me, let me grow and gave me the confidence to take the next step now. I am incredibly grateful to her for that. I am aware of the responsibility to take forward the next era of women’s football.”

Danner joined Bayern as an 18-year-old, when the women’s team played in the state-level Bayernliga. She led the Munich attack as a playmaker in the number 10 role, and after an intermediate spell with TSV Obertaufkirchen from 1984 to 1988, she returned to the Reds in the Bundesliga, where she ended her playing career in 1993. She won the Bavarian championship seven times with Bayern, lifted the Bavaria Cup twice and reached the final of the German championship twice.

However, it was in her second career as general manager of FC Bayern that the former Germany international enjoyed her greatest successes, as Danner continually led the department upwards. In summer 2000, the side returned to the top flight under her guidance. Another milestone was the first triumph in the DFB Cup in 2012, which was followed in 2015 by Bayern’s first German league title since 1976. They repeated the feat in the following season, and then 2021 saw the fourth championship. Since 2015, Bayern have always occupied one of the top spots in the Bundesliga at the end of the season, and are now among the teams who regularly qualify for the knockout stages of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Rech won the domestic double three times in a row as a player with 1. FFC Frankfurt from 2001 to 2003, before the long-serving Germany international wore the Bayern shirt from 2006 to 2010. After hanging up her boots, she began her career in sporting management in 2012 and after stints at Viktoria and 1. FC Köln, she returned to Munich in September 2016, originally as team manager and then from 2019 as sporting director.