Vincent Mannaert says goodbye to Club Brugge completely. He leaves the board of directors of Blue-Black and chairman Bart Verhaeghe takes over his shares. “It was an honor to lead Club Brugge as CEO for thirteen years.”
Valerie Van Avermaet, Pieter-Jan Calcoen
Today at 4:09 PM
It was previously known that Vincent Mannaert would step down as CEO of Club Brugge at the end of this season. However, the intention was that he would remain involved with the club as a shareholder and member of the board of directors, but that is now changing.
Mannaert, who was CEO from 2011 to 2024, is selling his shares to chairman Bart Verhaeghe. After Verhaeghe and Orikal Capital, Mannaert was the third largest shareholder of Club Brugge. Mannaert also leaves the board of directors. His mandate ran until October 2025, but this decision gives him the freedom to do what he wants. For example, it is now more obvious to work for another (foreign) team. He previously did not rule out a sabbatical year, nor did he rule out doing something in another (sports) sector. New CEO Bob Madou will take Mannaert’s place on the Board of Directors.
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Chairman Bart Verhaeghe responds on the club website. “Vincent was with me at the cradle of the current Club Brugge. I look back on the past years with a warm feeling. After Vincent previously announced his retirement as CEO, this is a logical next step. He will always be welcome at the Club. By acquiring Vincent’s shares ourselves, we strengthen the Flemish anchoring of the Club.”
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READ ALSO. “He was having a hard time, he couldn’t hide that”: our reporter saw how Vincent Mannaert announced his farewell with a ‘fragile voice’
Mannaert himself also responded to his final farewell: “It was an honor to lead Club Brugge as CEO for thirteen years. By selling the shares I am now finally saying goodbye. I cherish the many unforgettable memories and wish my successors and by extension the entire Club every success.”
Earlier this season, Bob Madou took over as CEO of Club Brugge. For several months now, Vincent Mannaert has been spending less and less time at the practice complex. However, Madou said the following in an interview with our newspaper two months ago: “We have an agreement that he will continue to help us.”
Mannaert will travel to Italy on Wednesday – barring a late cancellation – for the semi-final of the Conference League between Club Brugge and Fiorentina.
READ ALSO. HOW HEALTHY IS YOUR CLUB? Club Brugge receives a major award with congratulations from the jury
READ ALSO. It started with a short statement, it ends with compliments from Real Madrid: this is the Bruges legacy of Vincent Mannaert
READ ALSO. INTERVIEW. Bob Madou, brand new CEO of Club Brugge: “That Vincent Mannaert is rarely here anymore? We have an agreement that he will continue to help us”
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