Austrian free-to-air TV channel ServusTV has appointed FLORIAN WEGSCHEIDER as its new managing director. The 55-year-old replaces MARTIN BLANK, who joined ServusTV in '10. Wegscheider most recently held the position of ServusTV's head of information and news department (SPONSORs, 4/12). ... Williams Grand Prix Holdings announced the appointment of BRAD HOLLINGER to the company's board of directors as a non-exec director. He joins NICK ROSE and EDDIE CHARLTON as the company's third non-exec director and has been appointed for a term of three years. Hollinger has been a shareholder in Williams Grand Prix Holdings Plc. since '14, and recently increased his shareholding to 15% following the purchase of shares previously owned by Mercedes Head of Motorsport TOTO WOLFF (Williams). ... Sports equipment manufacturer Elan added three new board members to its team: former Nike VP & General Manager for Central and Eastern Europe MICHAELA STITZ; former Reebok VP of Marketing for Asia Pacific and former Salomon Brand Dir PASCAL AYMAR and JEFFREY TIRMAN, director of a London-based credit investment fund. (Elan).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Swiss top-tier hockey side Lausanne HC Lions announced it "ended its relationship" with Danish Manager HEINZ EHLERS, due to the club wanting to take a “different direction.” Ehlers coached the team for three seasons, and “took the Lions to the playoffs in his first two” (24 HEURES, 4/12). ... South Africa Rugby appointed former assistant coach ALLISTER COETZEE as its head coach (BBC, 4/12). ... WALTER NOVELLINO confirmed that "he has been sacked as coach" of Serie A side Palermo after just a month in charge of the Sicilian club. With one draw and three defeats on his record, Novellino "becomes the ninth managerial change made" by club President MAURIZIO ZAMPARINI (ESPN, 4/11). ... Serie A side AC Milan sacked Manager SINISA MIHAJLOVIC on Tuesday and "replaced him with youth team coach CRISTIAN BROCCHI," who will take charge until the end of the season. The decision "followed a meeting between club President SILVIO BERLUSCONI, CEO ADRIANO GALLIANI and Brocchi on Monday" (REUTERS, 4/12). ... KEVIN NOLAN has "stepped down from his position" as League Two side Leyton Orient's player-manager and will stay on as a player only. Orient appointed Nolan on a two-and-a-half-year deal in January, replacing IAN HENDON, and "had been linked to a move to the vacant management role at Bolton Wanderers." Bolton's new Chair KEN ANDERSON said that there were "three candidates remaining for the position and that Nolan had not applied" (GUARDIAN, 4/12). ... JUAN ESNAIDER has been named the new coach of La Liga side Getafe, "taking over until the end of the season after FRAN ESCRIBA’s departure." The club’s official website confirmed the hiring of the former Real Madrid, Real Zaragoza, Atlético Madrid and Juventus forward, "who had been assistant to MICHEL at Getafe" between '09 and '11. MAURICIO ELENA "will act as the Argentine’s assistant and OSCAR GARCIA is appointed trainer" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 4/12).
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