DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga appoints Kuisle and Zuber to strengthen areas of core business

  • Silke Kuisle becomes Director of Corporate Strategy
  • Bastian Zuber becomes Interim Director of Digital Business Development

16 January 2024 – The DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga has further strengthened the core of the organisation after joint-CEOs, Marc Lenz and Steffen Merkel, appointed new directors in the fields of Corporate Strategy and Digital Business Development.

Silke Kuisle
Photo: private

The Corporate Strategy department will be headed by Silke Kuisle with immediate effect. The 46-year-old has a wealth of experience in the fields of sports media and digital business, having served as CFO of OneFootball GmbH and Head of Corporate Development at ProSiebenSat1 Media AG. Within the DFL Group, Silke will report directly to the Executive Management team and, in addition to strategy, is responsible for the expansion of corporate partnerships and the Business Intelligence unit.

Bastian Zuber
Photo: DFL

Bastian Zuber, Managing Director of DFL Digital Sports, will also take over the DFL’s Digital Business Development department. In close cooperation with DFL Digital Sports, the new department will drive forward the conception, evaluation and implementation of digital initiatives and growth projects within the DFL Group. The 46-year-old digital expert has worked for the Cologne-based DFL subsidiary Digital Sports since October 2012, including more than four years as Managing Director.

“As a management team, we have made it a priority to strengthen our areas of core business. Following the Audiovisual Rights and Institutional and Political Relations & Regulation departments, the Corporate Strategy and Digital Business Development departments are important additions that will support the further development of the DFL Group in changing media markets,” says Marc Lenz.

Steffen Merkel says: “We are very pleased that we have been able to fill these key positions with Silke Kuisle and Bastian Zuber, who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.”