Olbia Calcio 1905 srl (“Olbia Calcio” or the “Club”) announces the signing of a preliminary contract between the Club’s shareholders (Alessandro Marino, Alexandre Tartara, Gian Renzo Bazzu, Massimo Curreli) and Swiss Pro PromoKon GmbH (“SwissPro”). The provisions contained in the agreement will be implemented starKng from the notarial finalizaKon set within three weeks.
The contract foresees the entry of SwissPro as a partner with a total quota of 70% in the capital stock of Olbia Calcio. The current shareholders will maintain a total share of 30%.
Alessandro Marino will continue to hold the role of President while Tartara and Bazzu will hold the position of board members together with four further new members.
SwissPro (www.swiss-pp.com) is a recent venture of experienced football industry and business professionals as well as investors. It provides strategic consultancy, management support, and strategic investments in high-potential football clubs worldwide. The aim is to identify and define club- and location- specific economic opportunities that allow for sustained monetization, benefiting the clubs, their communities, stakeholders, and shareholders.
The entry of SwissPro into the capital of Olbia Calcio will ensure the Club developing in multiple directions and, specifically, in the internationalization process of the brand, in the access to new networks of relationships for the strengthening of commercial networks and in the development of infrastructure projects. The medium-long term objective will be to add diverse channels of revenue to the core operating activity of being a football club, particularly with a focus on the entertainment business.
The development strategy of the technical area will follow the line of economic and financial sustainability set by the management of Olbia Calcio. Consequently, greater investments in the youth sector, the first team and the development of a competitive women’s football sector will go hand in hand with the increase in the Club’s revenues and supporting infrastructure, thus realizing the sporting ambitions.
The new strategy will not in any way modify Olbia Calcio’s bond with its fans and with the territory which will remain the main points of reference on which to continue building the future of the Club.
Alessandro Marino, President of Olbia, declared: “My partners and I, after a long period of discussion with numerous Italian and foreign entities, have chosen to open the capital to SwissPro which has fully convinced us thanks to its innovative and dynamic approach, in line with our way of thinking and our basic strategy. I will remain with pleasure and passion at the lead the Club, even if as a minority
shareholder, to complete the growth project begun in 2015 and which until now has led the club to partecipate consecutively in eight
professional championships for the first time in the history of the club. We are very happy that SwissPro has recognized the achievements reached so far and the value of the human and sporting capital that constitutes the Club itself and we hope for a faster and more effective growth path, including in terms of infrastructure, thanks to the new corporate structure with SwissPro.”
Benno Räber, Board Member and CSO of SwissPro, commented: “The investment into and engagement on a strategic level with Olbia Calcio by SwissPro is the first culmination of several years of patiently building up a capable team of seasoned professionals from both within and outside the football industry, as well as finance and legal professionals with entrepreneurial backgrounds combined with capital that supports SwissPro’s overall philosophy of looking at football as a business that is much bigger than operating a first team in a competitive league. SwissPro’s approach reflects a responsibility to the youth, the players, sponsors, and last but not least, the wider community of the location where the football club is located. Our team at SwissPro is excited and motivated to work with Chairman Marino and his team. We have chosen Olbia Calcio after reviewing many other opportunities to invest. SwissPro is confident and supportive of Chairman Marino’s chosen path and strategy and believe that together we can generate a bright and prosperous future for Olbia Calcio 1905.”
Klaus Schwerdtfeger, President of the Board of SwissPro, added to this: “While I fully echo the comments of Chairman Marino and my partner Benno Räber, I would like to add on a personal level that, as a lifelong football fan and Italian by marriage for more than 20 years, I am looking forward to giving my best in supporting the club, the management, and my partners to fulfil their aspirations, which Olbia Calcio’s loyal and amazing fan base so richly deserve.”
Olbia Calcio was assisted by LegisLab of Milan as legal advisor. SwissPro was assisted by the lawyer. Luigi Paganelli, of Monza, as legal advisor.
The operation was possible thanks to the advisory service provided by MergersCorp M&A International.
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