Hans-Joachim Watzke
Hans-Joachim "Aki" Watzke is a German businessman and football official. He served as the CEO of Borussia Dortmund from 2005 until 2025 and is the club's elected president since November 23, 2025.
Background
Hans-Joachim Watzke watched his first games at the Rote Erde as a child, and has been a member of Borussia Dortmund since 1996.Business career
He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Paderborn University.He founded and expanded Watex, a company specializing in safety clothing, which achieved sales of €15–20 million and employed 45 people.
Work at Borussia Dortmund
He became treasurer of Borussia Dortmund in 2001.In 2005, at the height of the club's financial crisis, he was appointed chief executive officer. Alongside chairman Reinhard Rauball and CFO Thomas Treß, Watzke is credited with having saved the club from bankruptcy. He restructured and streamlined the club, implemented strict cost-cutting measures, and followed a clear financial plan. A 20% pay cut was applied to all players. In 2006, to reduce debt, the Westfalenstadion was renamed "Signal Iduna Park" after a local insurance company.
In 2024, it was announced that he would step down as CEO the following year. His replacement was named as Lars Ricken.