DFL Digital Sports, a subsidiary of the German Football League (DFL), has appointed TOBIAS SCHMIDT as its new head of digital content. The 39-year-old, who most recently worked for Twitter, will take the editorial lead of the league's web and social media offerings. Schmidt will report to DFL Digital Sports Dir of Content MARK COCKER (DFL). ... SIMON CREASEY, a director of marketing at Sky, is joining cycling apparel brand Le Col as CMO in February. He will lead the sales and marketing growth plans for Le Col as it scales significantly to become a major player in the global cycling market. Creasey has over 20 years' experience within sales and marketing and has been a director at Sky for a decade. His roles have included director of acquisition marketing & strategy, NOW TV director and most recently director of Sky Store (Le Col).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Relegated J.League side Nagoya Grampus on Wednesday announced the appointment of YAHIRO KAZAMA as its new head coach. Kazama, 55, "stepped down as boss" of Kawasaki Frontale at the end of the previous campaign after leading the team to second in the overall J.League first-division standings and a place in the final of the Emperor's Cup (KYODO, 1/4). ... MARCO SILVA is set to be confirmed as EPL side Hull City's new manager on "an initial six-month contract" in place of MIKE PHELAN, who was sacked on Tuesday night. Considering the 39-year-old has no experience in English football, speaks limited English and will inherit a largely British squad, "his appointment represents a considerable gamble" on the part of the Premier League's bottom club. Silva, though, is immediately available, having left Superleague Greece side Olympiakos "for personal reasons" after securing the title last season. Before his sole campaign in Athens, Silva worked exclusively in his native Portugal, leading Estoril into the country's top flight "before a short sojourn with Sporting Lisbon" (London GUARDIAN, 1/4). ... Polish first division side Wisla Krakow named KIKO RAMÍREZ its new coach. Ramírez previously coached Spanish second division side Nástic and lower level Spanish sides Hospitalet and Castellón (AS, 1/4). ... Singapore football "is bracing itself for a year of change" after the announcement that LIM CHIN will step down as the S.League's CEO in March after "almost five years in charge." Lim, who was appointed in '12, has announced that he will "stay until the end of March" to oversee next month's start of the '17 season. Until a new CEO is appointed, S.League Dir of Operations KOK WAI LEONG will take over the running of the S.League (ESPN.com, 1/3).
Do you have an executive announcement? If so, please send to global@sportsbusinessdaily.com
