24.06.2024, 12:30
EHF prolongs contract with EHFM Managing Director David Szlezak

MEDIA RELEASE: New agreement runs until 30 June 2028; handball and sports management have been at the heart of Szlezak's professional life for more than 25 years

David Szlezak (50, pictured above) will stay as Managing Director at the helm of EHF Marketing GmbH for another four years until 30 June 2028.

In its meeting on Friday in Oslo, the EHF Executive Committee confirmed the prolongation of Szlezak’s contract who has been holding the position since 2016.

EHF Marketing GmbH is the marketing arm of the European Handball Federation and is responsible for the exploitation, organisation and promotion of the European club handball competitions.

"The EHF as EHF Marketing’s parent company has in close cooperation with the clubs represented on the EHFM Advisory Board agreed to prolong the managing director’s contract for another four years," said EHF President and chairman of the EHFM Advisory Board, Michael Wiederer.

"The core competence of EHF Marketing is the exploitation of the available rights as well as the development and production of events and with this the continuous improvement of European handball and its club competitions. We are very much looking forward to continuing the very successful cooperation with David Szlezak and his team."

Handball as well as sports management and marketing have been at the heart of Szlezak's professional life for more than 25 years.

As a professional player, he was Austria’s team handball captain and played for several teams in the German Bundesliga, including Rhein-Neckar Löwen from 2005 to 2008. 

Szlezak has been with EHF Marketing since 2010. He was the EHF FINAL4 Manager and EHFM’s Assistant Managing Director before assuming his current position.

During his second term in office, Szlezak successfully navigated EHF Marketing through the pandemic and further cemented the club competitions’ status as a highly attractive product on the sports market for sponsors, partners and fans.

With Machineseeker as the title sponsor as well as the MOL group, Modular System and the Croatian National Tourist Board and the Istria Tourist Board a whole set of new partners were onboarded to the EHF Champions League.

Furthermore, the 2023/24 season shows all signs to be one for the record books with a significant increase for TV and digital figures and spectator numbers across Europe being on the rise again.

"To remain fit for the future, it will be important for EHF Marketing to assume a proactive role, further strengthen our own in-house competence and thus continuing to be an attractive employer in Vienna," said Szlezak.

"On top, we will continue developing a very clear structure and direct relation when it comes to sponsorship, partners and media entities to be able to react flexibly on market developments in the fast-paced world of sports rights and to serve European Handball and the club ecosystem in the best way possible.

"I’m thankful for the trust the EHF and the European top clubs are putting into me and happy to progressively tackle the tasks together with my team and lead EHF Marketing responsibly into a successful future."

The contract prolongation was confirmed on the eve of the 2024/25 club handball season. The first matches in the Machineseeker EHF Champions League Women and the EHF Champions League Women will be played in early September.

TEXT: European Handball Federation