Football: re

At 64, the former CEO of Orange was officially presented as the new president of the Phocéen club on Friday.

Published on April 10, 2026 at 13:38

Reading time: 4min

Olympique de Marseille has its new strong figure. Stéphane Richard was appointed as the new president of OM on Friday, April 10th. While he will only take office on July 2, the former CEO of Orange was able to outline his ambitions and profile in a press conference, alongside the owner, Frank McCourt.

Rétablir le dialogue autour de l’OM

This is the main point emphasized by Stéphane Richard. The former chief of staff for Jean-Louis Borloo and Christine Lagarde at the Ministry of Economy aims to “embody a period of seriousness, appeasement, and stability” in which he will strive “to restore links with all the important audiences for OM.”

After the volcanic presidency of Pablo Longoria for five years, and the upheavals with Mehdi Benatia, whose departure at the end of the season was confirmed by Frank McCourt, a more pragmatic era unfolds. “OM needs this leadership to bring back stability, calm, and sustainability within the club,” emphasized the American owner.

Stéphane Richard elaborated on his remarks, mentioning the current divide with some supporters, as the club slipped out of the podium after two consecutive defeats and four out of the last seven games. “The club is at a crossroads, changes are going to happen. In relation to the fans, who are the heart and a significant part of the club’s life, there is a dialogue to reinvent. I think this club may need appeasement in its relationships with its environment, and it’s a mission that appeals to me and I will address it very quickly. I know there is frustration, even a certain disenchantment, and I will be eager to see them soon to make them want to come back,” ambitiously stated the 64-year-old new president.

Stabilizing the club in the Champions League

“The immediate sports goal is qualification for the Champions League.” While Stéphane Richard did not extensively dwell on the sports domain during the press conference, he did mention the club’s objective for the end of the season as the Olympians are one point away from the last qualifying spot for the C1 with six matchdays left.

“I am not a stranger who arrives in Marseille and discovers OM. I plan to invest in all areas of club management, and of course, the sports domain.” – Stéphane Richard, new president of OM, in a press conference.

in a press conference

For the future, he specified that his “ambition is to place OM in the small group of European clubs that play in the Champions League every year.” A challenge that has only been achieved three times in the last five years, with the club missing out on the C1 in the 2020-2021 and 2023-2024 seasons.

Looking towards the “medium-long” term

The name of Stéphane Richard only appeared in the last few days, while others historically associated with OM were in the running. Frank McCourt, who revealed receiving “a really important number of candidates,” praised the qualities of his new strong figure. “I want someone who knows Marseille very well, who truly understands what OM means for Marseille and the entire country. Someone with a strong entrepreneurial experience, who is also a leader from a business perspective, making OM profitable and sustainable. I think Stéphane checks all these boxes, so the decision was quite simple,” applauded the American, owner of the club for ten years.