According to official news, the retired Milan legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic has officially become the operating partner of the Red Bird Group and will serve as Milan's senior advisor.
RedBird Capital Partners ("RedBird") today announced the appointment of Zlatan Ibrahimovic as the operating partner of its portfolio in the sports, ** and entertainment sectors. At the same time, he will also act as a senior advisor to the owners and senior management of Milan. The owner is led by RedBirds, which also includes one of RedBirds' longest-standing sports partners, the New York Yankees baseball team.
Ibrahimovic will work closely with Milan's management to play an active role in the club's sporting and commercial operations and contribute to strengthening its winning culture. His responsibilities include overseeing player progress and training at a high level, promoting Milan's global brand, commercial interests and supporting the club's strategic special projects, including the new stadium.
Ibrahimovic is one of the most iconic footballers of all time, having left his mark on every team he has played for, winning 34 trophies with Malmo, Ajax, Juventus, Inter Milan, FC Barcelona, Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and LA Galaxy. Ibrahimovic has scored more than 570 goals in his career, including more than 500 for clubs, and has scored in each of the last four decades. Ibrahimovic has won the title of Serie A Player of the Year three times (2008, 2009, 2011) and Ligue 1 Player of the Year three times (2012, 2013, 2015). He was also the top scorer in Serie A in 2009 and 2012, the top scorer in Ligue 1 in 2012, 2013 and 2015, and the all-time top scorer for the Swedish national team.
On June 4, 2023, Ibrahimovic announced his retirement after the last match of last Serie A season in Milan, ending his career. With the Red Birds, Ibrahimovic will begin his off-court career as one of the world's most successful and prolific sports and investors.
Ibrahimovic's name also resonates outside the football stadium. His stellar performance on the pitch has allowed him to build a global brand that has led him to become an entrepreneur, published author, marketing and advertising expert, and investor. Ibrahimovic has 1With 2.3 billion followers, his influence and appeal are unquestionable, and his autobiography "I Am Zlatan" has become a bestseller, which is one of the most successful sports biographies. Ibrahimovic is also actively involved in humanitarian activities to give back to the community, working with the United Nations World Food Programme to raise awareness of the severity of the problem of world hunger and the number of people who still have 80.5 billion people lack food awareness.
As RedBird's Operating Partner, Ibrahimovic will work with the firm's global investment team to support RedBird's existing portfolio in the sports,** and entertainment sectors. He will help companies identify and evaluate new investment opportunities and advise Redbird's portfolio companies on commercial projects, digital content strategies, and strategic branding initiatives to expand their global reach.
At AC Milan, Ibrahimovic will serve as senior advisor on the ownership of the club, which is led by RedBirds, which also includes the New York Yankees, one of RedBird's longest-standing sports partners. Ibrahimovic will work closely with AC Milan's management to play an active role in the club's athletic and commercial operations and contribute to strengthening its winning culture. His responsibilities include player development and high-level training, promoting AC Milan's global brand and commercial interests, and supporting strategic special projects, including the club's new stadium.
RedBird founder and Milan boss Gerry Cardinale commented on Ibrahimovic's return: "We have all had the privilege of witnessing Zlatan's great performance as a player and his contribution to leading Milan to the top of Serie A. At Redbird, we've partnered with a select group of world-class athletes and artists who are able to thrive in Redbird's ecosystem across our sports,** and entertainment portfolio. ”
I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Zlatan thinking about his career options after he retired. Being able to play an active role in the future development of the club demonstrates our continued commitment to excellence on and off the pitch and I look forward to working with him as a partner and colleague for RedBird and Milan." ”
As a player, Zlatan is highly respected;As an entrepreneur, he is well-known among fans around the world and his various abilities are a formidable combination for both Milan and Redbird. ”
I'm thrilled for our fans, players and coaching staff, as well as the rest of the Rossoneri community, for us to officially welcome him back to the team. ”
Milan president Paulo Scaloni added: "Ibrahimovic embodies what it means to be a champion. During his time at the club, we all saw his work ethic, determination and relentless pursuit of success. Having him as an advisor to owners and senior management in our relentless quest to return Milan to the top of European football is a win in any case. ”
Milan CEO Giorgio Fulani commented: "Having a leader like Ibrahimovic serve as an advisor to Milan's leadership team underlines our commitment to the club's future success, which is also beneficial to our players. ”
Speaking about his new role, Ibrahimovic said: "I am very grateful to be able to join RedBird and Milan in these important and influential roles. RedBird has partnered with some of the world's best athletes, teams, and business figures to create businesses that make sense and impact. ”
I look forward to contributing to their investment activities in the sports, ** and entertainment industries." My love for the Rossoneri will never die and the opportunity to be part of its future in a meaningful way is something I dream of. ”
I am very grateful to Gerry for providing me with this opportunity. I have great admiration for the commitment, passion and hard work shown by RedBird and their executives since they acquired the club. ”
This is a very important personal decision for both me and my family. I've been thinking a lot about my first steps as a player and I'm very excited to start this journey as part of RedBird and Milan. ”
It was a real trip home for me and my family, I ended my playing career at this cherished club and now I am starting my next chapter. ”