"Olympique de Marseille announces the appointment of Alban Juster as Chairman of the Management Board. This decision was made by the Supervisory Board in accordance with the club’s statutes. It is part of an interim arrangement, while the necessary steps are taken to search for and appoint a new Chairman of the Management Board," the club said in a statement released Saturday evening.
In a bid to maintain stability, OM has chosen to draw from its internal ranks. Alban Juster, who has been with the club for eight years, is leaving his role as Chief Financial & Compliance Officer to become the new Chairman of the Management Board.
However, this appointment is not permanent. The statement specifies that this is an "interim arrangement," giving the club time to complete the recruitment process for a permanent president.
To support Alban Juster in this transitional period, the Management Board will be centred around three key figures: Alessandro Antonello, who has been appointed as a board member, and Benjamin Arnaud, the club’s former general secretary (for the past seven years), who has also been named to the board.
The main goal of this restructuring is operational. "This arrangement ensures the administrative, financial, and operational continuity of Olympique de Marseille,” the club emphasised. "The club will continue all its activities and maintain its sporting and economic priorities."
AFP reports that Pablo Longoria has also resigned from his position as head of the Marseille club. 10 days ago, the club’s American owner, Frank McCourt, announced a shake-up at the top of OM. Football director Medhi Benatia, who had submitted his resignation a few days earlier, agreed to remain in his post until June to "oversee all sporting activities."
This decision was accompanied by Longoria stepping back, with his role expected to "shift towards institutional responsibilities, to maintain OM’s representation within French and especially European governing bodies." However, the Spanish executive’s departure already seemed inevitable at that point.