Jean-Claude Blanc
Encyclopedia
Jean-Claude BlancJean-Claude Blanc (born on 9 April 1963 in Chambéry
, France
) is a former CEO of Juventus FC. He holds an International Business and Marketing degree from CERAM Business School
in Nice
(France).
Between 1987 and 1992 BLANC was Sales and Marketing / Opening and Closing Ceremony Director for the Albertville Olympic Games in France and worked very close to Jean-Claude KILLY, chairman of the Organizing Committee. He then became the CEO between 1994 and 2000 (after taking his MBA at Harvard) of Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), a branch of a media company owning and operating the main sporting events in France in cycling, motoracing and athletics (Tour de France, Paris/Roubaix, Paris/Dakar race, Paris Marathon...). JCB boosted ASO's revenues and international reach as well as created an all news TV network / L'Equipe TV.
Between 2001 and June 2006 he was nominated CEO of the French Tennis Association and as such was the manager in charge of organizing the French Open (Roland Garros), the Paris Master Series and the Davis Cup / Fed Cup tennis events when staged in France. During his tenure, the French Open reached a new level of development and success thanks to JCB's innovative ideas like adding an extra week-end of grand Slam tennis by starting the tournament on a Sunday instead of a Monday !
Before becoming Chairman of the Board of Juventus Football Club in October 2009, BLANC was first hired by the Elkann/Agnelli family (long time owners of the Club)as board member and CEO. He was offered this prestigious assignment to deal with the hardest sport and business crisis ever met by the Club (Calciopoli), when the team was sentenced to second division (Serie B).
Blanc focused immediately on rebuilding the team and the technical staff. He also renegotiated all major business contracts and improved the financial health of the Club. The team made a great and immediate come back in season 2006/2007 to the main division (Serie A), reaching an unexpected third place(season 2007/2008)then second place (season 2008/2009) while operating the Club's finances at break even.
Blanc's masterpiece in the last five years has been also to radically modify the new stadium project as well as close the financing for the construction of the new Juventus arena. This arena along with a 35 000 square meters mall is the first to be built in Italy since 1990 and is the only one privately owned by an Italian football club. Blanc has stated many times that the stadium is the future for Juventus, a major revenue-booster and the new soul of the team.
On May 19, 2010, Blanc left his role as Chairman of the Board of Juventus to Andrea Agnelli, member of the family owning the Club. Blanc retained his role as General Manager and CEO. Agnelli's response to Blanc's confirmed responsibilities was, "He will take care of the operations management of the club at 360 degrees and focus mainly on the development of revenues, managed our international relations with UEFA and FIFA as well as follow up on the stadium project strategic for the future of the Club".
On May 11, 2011, in line with his working contract and in agreement with the owners of the Club, Jean-Claude Blanc released his executive powers to the Board of Juventus and resigned as CEO. Instead, he became a member of the board of directors. Blanc tendered his resignation and left the post on October 15, 2011.
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a former CEO of Juventus FC. He holds an International Business and Marketing degree from CERAM Business School
Skema Business School
SKEMA Business School is a school created by the merger of two French schools, CERAM Business School and Groupe ESC Lille in 2009. The school's name stands for School of Knowledge Economy and Management. The school offers bachelors, masters, MBA, doctoral and executive education programs in China,...
in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
(France).
Biography
Jean-Claude Blanc, a Harvard MBA graduate (1994), is one of the most experienced sport's marketing executives in Europe having led organizations in different major sports over the last 20 years; indeed he managed the Olympics (winter games), the Tour de France (cycling), the Paris Dakar (motoracing), the French Open (tennis), Davis Cup and has been the Chairman and CEO of Juventus Football Club.Between 1987 and 1992 BLANC was Sales and Marketing / Opening and Closing Ceremony Director for the Albertville Olympic Games in France and worked very close to Jean-Claude KILLY, chairman of the Organizing Committee. He then became the CEO between 1994 and 2000 (after taking his MBA at Harvard) of Amaury Sport Organization (ASO), a branch of a media company owning and operating the main sporting events in France in cycling, motoracing and athletics (Tour de France, Paris/Roubaix, Paris/Dakar race, Paris Marathon...). JCB boosted ASO's revenues and international reach as well as created an all news TV network / L'Equipe TV.
Between 2001 and June 2006 he was nominated CEO of the French Tennis Association and as such was the manager in charge of organizing the French Open (Roland Garros), the Paris Master Series and the Davis Cup / Fed Cup tennis events when staged in France. During his tenure, the French Open reached a new level of development and success thanks to JCB's innovative ideas like adding an extra week-end of grand Slam tennis by starting the tournament on a Sunday instead of a Monday !
Before becoming Chairman of the Board of Juventus Football Club in October 2009, BLANC was first hired by the Elkann/Agnelli family (long time owners of the Club)as board member and CEO. He was offered this prestigious assignment to deal with the hardest sport and business crisis ever met by the Club (Calciopoli), when the team was sentenced to second division (Serie B).
Blanc focused immediately on rebuilding the team and the technical staff. He also renegotiated all major business contracts and improved the financial health of the Club. The team made a great and immediate come back in season 2006/2007 to the main division (Serie A), reaching an unexpected third place(season 2007/2008)then second place (season 2008/2009) while operating the Club's finances at break even.
Blanc's masterpiece in the last five years has been also to radically modify the new stadium project as well as close the financing for the construction of the new Juventus arena. This arena along with a 35 000 square meters mall is the first to be built in Italy since 1990 and is the only one privately owned by an Italian football club. Blanc has stated many times that the stadium is the future for Juventus, a major revenue-booster and the new soul of the team.
On May 19, 2010, Blanc left his role as Chairman of the Board of Juventus to Andrea Agnelli, member of the family owning the Club. Blanc retained his role as General Manager and CEO. Agnelli's response to Blanc's confirmed responsibilities was, "He will take care of the operations management of the club at 360 degrees and focus mainly on the development of revenues, managed our international relations with UEFA and FIFA as well as follow up on the stadium project strategic for the future of the Club".
On May 11, 2011, in line with his working contract and in agreement with the owners of the Club, Jean-Claude Blanc released his executive powers to the Board of Juventus and resigned as CEO. Instead, he became a member of the board of directors. Blanc tendered his resignation and left the post on October 15, 2011.