Change at the top at BVB: Schlesinger new communications director | OneFootball

For the first time, Borussia Dortmund is putting a woman in charge of its media department. As the Bundesliga club officially announced on Tuesday morning (June 16), Serra Schlesinger (42) will take over as head of club communications from August 1, 2026.

In the future, Schlesinger will hold the position of Director of Communications at BVB. This gives her a strategically important leadership role within the club’s management, making her responsible for the strategic direction of all communication activities of the Ruhr club.

Together with her teams, she will oversee and develop internal and external communication across all channels. Her core responsibilities include expanding international media relations and further developing social media activities. In addition, Schlesinger will have overarching responsibility for the sports communications department, whose operational management will remain with Sven Westerschulze.

Schlesinger succeeds Sascha Fligge (49), who left BVB in December 2025 after 14 years as Director of Communications and press spokesperson. The position had been vacant since his departure.

A fresh perspective from the outside

“Borussia Dortmund is in the public spotlight every day — as a football club, a business, and a social actor,” explains Carsten Cramer (57), Managing Director and spokesperson for BVB, in a club statement. The club had “deliberately looked for a leadership figure who thinks about communication strategically in its full breadth.” Schlesinger, who previously headed communications at discount retailer ALDI Nord for a total of 13 years, brings “extensive experience, a fresh outside perspective, and the courage to drive things forward,” Cramer said, explaining the decision.

Photo: IMAGO

This makes the Bochum native the second woman in a top position at Dortmund, after Svenja Schlenker (43, managing director of BVB’s women’s football department). Schlesinger is looking forward to her future role, as Borussia moves “millions of people far beyond football.” She wants to communicate “the stories, values, and ambitions of BVB together with a strong team in an authentic and impactful way” and further strengthen “the club’s appeal both nationally and internationally.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.