Roma have officially appointed their new CEO and General Manager, former Olympiacos FC chief Lina Souloukou, a member of the ECA’s Executive Board.
The club suddenly terminated all working relationships with CEO Pietro Berardi on Monday in a terse statement that took many by surprise.
While the newspapers in Italy pointed to several options, the winning candidate to replace Berardi was another upset.
It is Souloukou, who will take the office immediately as both Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of the Club.
“Lina is an experienced, respected and trusted leader in both football and business and we are delighted to welcome her into the AS Roma family”, said Dan and Ryan Friedkin.
“We will work closely with her to continue building the Club to the highest level, deserving of both the Giallorossi fans and the City.”
Souloukou studied Sports Law and has been working in football for 15 years, most recently as CEO of Olympiacos FC from 2018 until June 2022.
She has also been a member of the European Club Association’s Executive Board since 2019.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the Friedkin family for giving me this opportunity: I have had the chance to appreciate and understand the spirit and ambition that inspire the ownership and I am honoured to have the possibility of sharing in the challenges that await AS Roma”, said Souloukou.
“I’m excited to join this historical club and I’m looking forward to making available to the club, its managers, and all the employees, the experience I have gained in the international football world.”
Berardi had only been at Roma for two years, taking on the role of CEO in October 2021.
Many reasons have been suggested for the sudden split, from disagreements with the Friedkin family to a tense relationship with coach Jose Mourinho.