World TeamTennis named CHRIS RENNER CEO, effective immediately. Renner succeeds longtime WTT CEO ILANA KLOSS, who will retain the role of WTT commissioner at least through the end of '18. Renner joins WTT from sports marketing consulting firm Helios Partners and will be based in Southern California (WTT). ... OTT service DAZN named NBA Senior Dir of Business & Digital Communications CHRIS LEGENTIL VP/North America communications & PR, reporting to Global Head of PR SARAH BEATTIE, who is based in the U.K. DAZN also named Ketchum VP & Account Dir HAIWEN LU director of U.S. PR, reporting to Legentil. Both Legentil and Lu will be based in N.Y. (John Ourand, Staff Writer).
IN SPAIN: Barcelona named XAVIER O'CALLAGHAN the director of its N.Y. office, replacing ARNO TRABESINGER, who was sacked in February "after failing to meet expectations." O'Callaghan, a former Barcelona handball player, was until now the manager of the club's handball and indoor football clubs (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 7/16). ... Barcelona VP of Marketing & Media MANEL ARROYO announced his resignation. His exit leaves the club with two VPs: JORDI CARDONER and JORDI MESTRE. Club President JOSEP MARIA BARTOMEU is not expected to announce new hires until after the Supercopa against Sevilla in August (MUNDO DEPORTIVO, 7/16).
COACHES/MANAGERS: Tunisia national football team head coach NABIL MAALOUL left his job to take charge of Qatari club Al Duhail. Maaloul, who turns 56 this month, takes over from DJAMEL BELMADI, who "quit and is widely expected to be appointed coach of the Algerian national team" (BBC, 7/13).
