FIFA has appointed FABRICE JOUHAUD to replace WALTER DE GREGORIO, "who resigned last year shortly after making a joke on television" at former FIFA President SEPP BLATTER's expense. Jouhaud joins from French sports TV channel L’Équipe 21. He starts at FIFA on Aug. 15. There are no other changes in the communications department, "with head of media relations DELIA FISCHER and NICOLAS MAINGOT remaining in their senior comms roles" (WORLD FOOTBALL INSIDER, 8/3). ... La Liga side Valencia Chair LAYHOON CHAN has "become the first foreigner" to join the board of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). Chan is a long-time close associate of Valencia Owner PETER LIM, and was appointed as Mestalla CEO following the Singapore businessman's purchase of the La Liga outfit in '14, "becoming the first woman to head the club" in its 96-year history. Despite not being a Spanish speaker, Chan accepted an offer from RFEF President ANGEL MARIA VILLAR "to join the federation's board." Before joining Valencia, Chan had "served in senior roles with various companies in sectors across food and beverage, lifestyle, security, media and investment in Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, according to Bloomberg." She retains a senior role in Lim's Hong Kong-based Meriton Capital investment group (ESPN.com, 8/3). ... Saudi Arabia's Cabinet appointed Princess REEMA BIN BANDAR to head a new department "for women under the Kingdom's General Authority for Sports in a move that could signal greater female access to sports." Reema, whose father Prince BANDAR BIN SULTAN served as Saudi ambassador to Washington for more than two decades until '05, "is a graduate of George Washington University" (ARAB NEWS, 8/2). ... Archery GB announced that its board of directors has appointed NEIL ARMITAGE as CEO. He has held the position of interim-CEO since Dec. '15 and has led the development of the new strategic plan and the day-to-day running of the organization (Archery GB). ... Paraguay named FRANCISCO ARCE as its new coach, giving a "second chance to the 45-year-old who failed to set them on course for a place at the 2014 World Cup." Arce replaces Argentine RAMON DIAZ, who "resigned after Paraguay's group stage elimination at the Copa America Centenario" in the U.S. (REUTERS, 8/3).
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