The Supervisory Board is searching for a new CEO and has enlisted Chief Commercial Officer Menno Geelen to serve as interim CEO effective immediately, bridging the gap until the new CEO is appointed and acclimated.
Geelen (Huizen, January 22, 1982) has been with Ajax since mid-2010. In November 2016, he was promoted from Head of Sponsorship to Chief Commercial Officer. Due to his temporary change in role, Geelen will delegate his current responsibilities for the same interim period to Cas Biesta, the current Head of Marketing and Brand Partnerships. Due to this change, Biesta (Arnhem, December 12, 1985) will temporarily take on the role of Chief Commercial Officer. He has been with Ajax since November 2014.
President-Commissioner Michael van Praag can now entirely focus on his role as a member and chairman of the Supervisory Board again, without the need to support the management as a delegated commissioner, a role he has held since April 2nd.
Michael van Praag: "I am pleased that Menno is willing to take on this role. He is an excellent director who has earned both internal and external support through his effective and successful work for Ajax over the years. Additionally, it's beneficial for Ajax that Alex has enthusiastically embraced his new role. We have great confidence in the current management team for the months ahead."
Menno Geelen: "I am looking forward to temporarily taking on this role. Organisational matters are now for the coming period, providing administrative stability. Progress on the football side of operations is now the top priority. Alex Kroes and Marijn Beuker, along with their teams, need to continue their work uninterrupted. My task includes ensuring they can focus on this while ensuring all other departments and colleagues can function optimally."