Executive Transactions

La Liga club Espanyol has hired ÓSCAR PERARNAU as its sporting director. Perarnau replaces RAMÓN PLANES (EFE, 12/12). ... Renault "has appointed ARNAUD BOULANGER as motorsport director of its sports department." The French native "replaces JEAN-PASCAL DAUCE who will move to Alpine Caterham, which is the joint venture of Renault and Caterham Owner TONY FERNANDES" (MOTORSPORT TOTAL, 12/11). ... Puma CEO FRANZ KOCH will step down at the end of March. He will also step down as a member of the Group Exec Committee of PPR SA, the main shareholder of Puma SE (Puma). ... The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India re-elected President VICKY CHANDHOK at its 39th Annual General Meeting. The FMSCI Council "also decided on the continuation" of Chair VIJAY MALLAYA and VP BHARAT RAJ for the '12-13 year (THE HINDU, 12/12). ... Former ManU Dir MAURICE WATKINS has been appointed as the chairman of British Swimming and will lead the sport into the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics (British Swimming). ... The Lawn Tennis Association has appointed DAVID GREGSON as independent chairman of the LTA Board. The appointment was approved at a special meeting of the LTA Council on Wednesday. David is the chairman of the Precise Media Group, and of CRI, a leading U.K. health and social care charity (LTA).

MANAGERS/COACHES: Brasileiro club Internacional confirmed it has hired former Brazilian national team coach DUNGA as its head coach (UOL, 12/12). ... Argentina club Boca Juniors President DANIEL ANGELICI confirmed the club has decided not to renew the contract of coach JULIO FALCIONI (CLARIN, 12/10). ... Spanish second division club Racing Santander has hired JOSÉ AURELIO GAY as its head coach (AS, 12/12). ... Chinese Super League club Dalian Aerbin has appointed XU HONG as its manager. He reportedly signed a three-year deal "for an undisclosed amount." Xu is a Chinese int'l and former CSL Dalian Wanda (now Dalian Shide) player (WILD EAST FOOTBALL, 12/12). ... The German Basketball Federation (DBB) appointed ALEXANDRA MAERZ as head coach of the women's national team. The 40-year-old will assume his new position with immediate effect (DBB). ... K-League club Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors interim head coach LEE HEUNG-SIL has resigned after one season. Lee took over the club in December when incumbent CHOI KANG-HEE was named head coach of the South Korean national team. A Jeonbuk official said that Lee resigned because he "wanted to make way for Choi to return next year." Senior assistant coach CHO SUNG-HWAN will act as interim head coach until Choi's return (YONHAP, 12/12). ... Argentine Primera División Boca Juniors coach JULIO CESAR FALCIONI "has effectively paid the price for his row with JUAN ROMAN RIQUELME and has left the club with immediate effect" (ESPN, 12/11).

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