AC Milan just handed the keys to Massimo Calvelli, appointing him as CEO on June 26 in a move designed to pull the club out of one of its more forgettable recent chapters. The storied Italian side failed to qualify for the UEFA Champions League this past season, a result that tends to accelerate executive-level soul searching at clubs of Milan’s stature.
Calvelli isn’t exactly a stranger to the ownership group. He’s been serving as CEO International at RedBird Development Group and as an Operating Partner at RedBird Capital Partners, the firm that has owned AC Milan since 2022. He’ll continue holding the RedBird role while simultaneously steering the club.
Why the shakeup matters beyond the pitch
Calvelli’s background suggests RedBird is treating this as more than a cosmetic change. Before his time at RedBird, he held senior leadership roles in professional tennis, including serving as CEO of the ATP. That kind of cross-sport executive experience signals the ownership group wants someone who understands both the competitive and commercial sides of global sports, not just Italian football politics.
The Pulisic situation
