The supervisory board of the SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KG aA has made key decisions in order to ensure continuity amongst the executive team, agreeing long-term contract extensions with both Klaus Filbry and Anne-Kathrin Laufmann. Talks on an extension will also begin soon with Tarek Brauer, while the newest member of the four-person team, Clemens Fritz, has already been given a long-term contract.
Dr. Hubertus Hess-Grunewald, chairman of the supervisory board, said: "We are very pleased with the successful work that's been done over the past years. Financially, we have consistently been able to stabilise ourselves further following our year in the second division and the challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic. Recently, these efforts have been boosted by the addition of the regional alliance as a strategic partner, our early extension with main sponsor MATTHÄI and record sponsorship figures. We are convinced that this growth will continue under Klaus Filbry in the coming years and thus form the foundation for sporting success."
Filbry has been the commercial director of the SV Werder Bremen GmbH & Co KG aA since 2010, in addition to being the chairman of the executive board since 2012. "These extensions send an important signal to all of us. I am especially pleased that we will be able to continue the good work we've achieved together on the board in the future," said Filbry, who is responsible for finances, as well as partnerships, branding, communication and fans.
Anne-Kathrin Laufmann has also extended her contract, with both the supervisory board and the executive committee in favour of continuing their cooperation. "Anne-Kathrin Laufmann forms an important link in her role between the club and the KG. Since she took up the role, important priorities have been set, for example, in the areas of memberships and club development. Decisions such as the introduction of a women's quota and our flagship SPIELRAUM and 'Fußball kann mehr' projects have made a significant contribution to Werder's national and international presence. We can look back on successful seasons in our other club sports, and Anne-Kathrin Laufmann was also able to make important progress due to the addition of new staff in the areas of sustainability and club development," said Hess-Grunewald.
Laufmann has been a member of the executive board since 1st January 2023, and is responsible for for the areas of club development, fans, fan relations & fan culture, as well as the club’s other professional teams in table tennis, handball and chess. The overarching topic of sustainability, which includes diversity, social and community engagement and environmental protection, also falls under her range of responsibilities. "I am very pleased about the faith that is being shown in me with this early contract extension, and look forward to tackling the tasks that are still on our agenda, especially the continued development of our club and the topic of ecological sustainability," she said.
Werder's nine-person supervisory board has also decided to begin talks with Tarek Brauer about an early extension to his contract as well. Both parties have expressed an interest in doing so already. Brauer has been part of the executive board since 1st September 2022 as the director of organisational and personnel matters. Under his direction, projects such as the relocation and renovation of the away stand at the Weserstadion, as well as the extensive modernisation of the buildings at Platz 11, for which a building application has already been submitted, have been initiated and completed.
