Menno Geelen to Depart Ajax in 2027 as Club Searches for New Managing Director
Ajax has been built on big decisions in the dugout and on the pitch, but on Friday the Amsterdam club confirmed a significant one in the boardroom. Menno Geelen, the man who quietly became one of the most influential figures at the Johan Cruyff ArenA, will step down as managing director on 1 April 2027.
The announcement follows what the club described as constructive talks with the Supervisory Board (RvC). After more than a decade and a half at Ajax, Geelen has chosen to move on. The club now has a clear deadline, and a sizeable gap to fill.
From Commercial Brain to Managing Director
Geelen joined Ajax in 2010 and made his name as commercial director, helping to drive the club’s off‑pitch growth while its young sides lit up Europe. As crises came and went, he became a steady internal presence. When Ajax needed someone to step into the top job, they turned to him.
Now, the club must do what it has done so often with players and coaches: find the next figurehead.
The Supervisory Board will appoint an external agency to lead the search for his successor. The target is ambitious but precise — a new managing director in place before 1 April next year, ensuring a full year of overlap before Geelen’s departure.
The message from the management is clear: no vacuum, no drift. Ajax wants continuity.
“After Sixteen Years, It Is Time”
Speaking on the club’s website, Geelen framed the decision as the natural end of a long cycle.
“Working for Ajax has always been an honour. After more than sixteen years, it is time for me to take the next step. I am grateful for the wonderful roles I have been able to fulfil here,” he said.
He explained that the process began early, with open talks about his expiring contract and the club’s future direction. Those conversations, he stressed, were “good discussions” and ultimately led to a joint decision. By announcing it now, Ajax and Geelen give themselves breathing space — time to plan, time to hand over, time to avoid the kind of turbulence that has hurt the club in previous eras.
Geelen did not dwell on his own story for long. His focus snapped back to the present season.
“I have learned a great deal here, and together we have achieved a great deal at Ajax over all those years,” he said. “There are so many wonderful memories, and of course there have also been less pleasant events. But for now, I think the most important thing is that this season brings success on the pitch and that the club can take further steps forward. In any case, I will continue to do everything I can over the coming months to contribute to that.”
The message is unmistakable: the farewell has a date, but the job is not finished.
Supervisory Board Pays Tribute – and Looks Ahead
Lesley Bamberger, chairman of the Supervisory Board, underlined how heavily Ajax has leaned on Geelen in recent years.
“Menno has done a great deal for the club,” Bamberger said, pointing in particular to the periods when Geelen was asked to guide Ajax through difficult times as managing director. In those moments, while coaches changed and squads were reshaped, he remained a constant.
“He helped steer the club through difficult periods when he was asked to take on the role of managing director. Throughout, he has remained loyal to Ajax,” Bamberger noted.
Now the RvC must make one of its most important calls. On the club’s website, Bamberger set out the task in front of them: to identify a successor who not only brings the right expertise, but fits Ajax’s identity and long-term ambitions.
“It is our task as the Supervisory Board to find a good successor who fits the club's continued development,” he said. The plan is for Geelen to stay closely involved in the transition. He has agreed to work with the board on a careful handover, so that the incoming managing director can immediately operate in tandem with the rest of the leadership team.
The goal is not just a smooth change of guard. It is to set up “a sustainable and successful future for the club.”
Ajax has seen stars leave before — from the pitch, from the touchline, from the academy offices. The club’s challenge now is familiar, but this time it plays out in the boardroom: can they turn another impending departure into the start of a new, stronger chapter?
