Mostafa Motadayyen Becomes CEO of Esteghlal

According to the KhabarOnlineNews Agency, the wait for the announcement of Esteghlal's new CEO has come to an end, and Mostafa Motadayyen has officially taken his seat as the club's executive manager. The decree issued for Motadayyen states that his appointment was made pursuant to the resolution of the board of directors, the provisions of Article 123 of the Bill Amending Part of the Commercial Code, and the statutes of the Esteghlal Iran Cultural and Sports Company.

This decree was issued a few days after the ceremony introducing the new members of Esteghlal's board of directors. Motadayyen had been introduced at that ceremony as a new member of the board, and the remarks of the managers present indicated that his selection as CEO had been finalized.

With Motadayyen's appointment as CEO made official, the period of Esteghlal's executive administration under the acting management of Ali Tajernia came to an end. Tajernia will continue to chair the club's board of directors, while Motadayyen, alongside his membership of the board, will take charge of executive affairs. In this way, the duties of board chairman and CEO, which over the past year had both rested with Tajernia, were separated from one another.

Esteghlal's new CEO has built the bulk of his track record in the economic, industrial and petrochemical fields. Motadayyen has headed the Petrochemical Industries Development Management Company since 2023 and holds a doctorate in business with a specialization in oil and gas. His presence at Esteghlal is considered one of the most important sporting responsibilities of his career, and his performance in transferring managerial and economic experience into the football arena will be closely watched.

The decree appointing Esteghlal's new CEO stresses running the club with a professional, responsible and results-oriented approach. Adherence to the principles of corporate governance, transparency, accountability, protection of stakeholders' rights, safeguarding the club's assets and attention to the social standing of the fans will be among the board of directors' most important expectations of Motadayyen.

Motadayyen begins his official work at a time when Esteghlal is competing simultaneously in the Premier League and the AFC Champions League Elite, while legal cases — including the matter of Yaser Asani, the transfer restrictions, securing financial resources and creating sustainable revenues — are also on the club management's desk. In his first serious football experience, he must now align the fans' wide-ranging expectations with the club owner's economic goals and the team's sporting plans.