Giovanni Gardini is the new Managing Director of Palermo F.C.
Born in London on 4 September 1964, he graduated in law in Bologna and was the Padua correspondent of 'La Gazzetta dello Sport' from 1985 to 1989. He started his career as a sports manager in Padua in 1989, serving as General Secretary and then Managing Director. Between 1999 and 2008 he was Managing Director of Treviso and Director of Operation of Lazio. Between 2010 and 2016 he was Managing Director of Livorno and Hellas Verona, before serving at Inter for four seasons as Chief Football Operations Officer. Since 2019 he has been Football Advisory for companies in the sports world.
On the occasion of the appointment, Giovanni Gardini said: 'Palermo is a challenge that I will face with pride and enthusiasm. I am grateful to CFG for placing the group's trust in me and to President Mirri for welcoming me into the Rosanero family. Together we will write a new success story for the team and its fans, who deserve ever greater rewards. I am ready to invest all my experience and relationships to give my contribution to Palermo F.C., sure that I can share this path with a team of competent and passionate people".
Diego Gigliani, Managing Director of City Football Group's EU, Latam and Partner Clubs and Board member of Palermo F.C., added: "We are delighted to have chosen for Palermo a manager with strong roots in the Italian sporting scenario. His great knowledge of the national leagues, thanks to valuable experience in important clubs, is a guarantee of professionalism. His expertise will be fundamental in facilitating Palermo's integration into the City Football Group family and ensuring that our working method on an international level is best adapted to the Italian context."
"With the arrival of Giovanni," concluded President Dario Mirri, "we have the security of being able to carry forward the dream that we have shared over the last few months and that I have always carried within me. Thanks to his support and expertise, we will have the opportunity to make our aspirations concrete and adapt CFG's development strategy, which has already proven successful in other international realities, to Italian football. My thanks go to Rinaldo Sagramola for his work during the three years of Palermo's rebirth, confirming a successful career'.