# Closing the Trigoria Vacancy: Inside John Galantic’s Appointment as Roma’s New CEO

**By Tomás Ferreira**  \nPublished August 4, 2026  \nUpdated September 9, 2026

> AS Roma has officially ended a two-year operational vacancy by naming John Galantic as Chief Executive Officer, bridging global corporate experience with lifelong ties to the Italian capital.

Nearly two years after the departure of Lina Souloukou in September 2024 in the wake of Daniele De Rossi's dismissal, AS Roma has finally filled the vacant executive chair at Trigoria. Owners Dan and Ryan Friedkin announced the official appointment of John Galantic as the club's new Chief Executive Officer, introducing a dual-national American and Swiss executive with deep family roots in the Eternal City.

The administrative restructuring arrives at a critical juncture for the Giallorossi. As articulated in the club's official statement issued on July 29, 2026, Galantic inherits an organization navigating a multi-layered transition: *"His appointment comes in a season of new beginnings. We return to the Champions League, a goal achieved with sacrifice on the pitch and made possible by the loyalty of football’s greatest fans. And on July 22nd, we kicked off the celebrations for Roma’s centenary."*

## A Corporate Blueprint Shaped by Chanel, Ferrari, and Harvard

Born in Boston in 1961, Galantic brings an elite corporate pedigree to Italian football operations. After earning his Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, his managerial path began in 1990 with Procter & Gamble, where he handled brand marketing and sales across Rome, London, and the United States until 1995. Subsequent leadership roles included heading Coty Americas and serving a sixteen-year tenure as an executive with Chanel, including a spell as its U.S. CEO. Beyond the fashion and consumer sectors, Galantic’s governance resume features board seats with Bacardi Limited and, crucially for his domestic sporting profile, Ferrari since 2023.

His return to Trigoria is not his first exposure to Italian football boardrooms. Galantic previously served as an independent member of Roma’s board of directors between 2014 and 2020 under former president James Pallotta, sitting on the Internal Control and Risk Management Committee. That background gives him a preexisting structural familiarity with the club's administrative machinery during a turbulent historical era.

## The Emotional and Operational Mandate

While executive appointments in modern Serie A are frequently evaluated through cold financial metrics, the Friedkins leaned heavily into cultural alignment and emotional resonance when framing Galantic's arrival. Citing his lineage—his father, Ivan Galantic, lived in Rome between 1939 and 1951 and instilled a lifelong devotion to the club—the ownership highlighted his intimate connection to the fan base:

> The Friedkin FamilyCittadino americano e svizzero di origini italiane, John è romanista da sempre. Ama questa città, ne comprende l’anima, conosce i suoi tifosi e sa cosa rappresenta questo Club per loro. Siamo fermamente convinti che sia la persona giusta per guidare questo Club nel suo secondo secolo di storia.

This localized affinity complements his international executive track record. Managing a club entering its second century while balancing the rigorous demands of UEFA Champions League participation requires a delicate synthesis of commercial scaling and sporting stability. Galantic's familiarity with high-level Italian business governance through Ferrari provides a steady administrative counterweight as Roma seeks to consolidate its domestic standing among Serie A elites like Inter, Milan, Juventus, Napoli, and Atalanta.

## Forward Implications for the Giallorossi

The immediate operational test for the new CEO involves more than ceremonial ribbon-cutting for the club's centenary celebrations. Roma's sporting department remains active on multiple fronts in the late-July transfer market, evaluating squad adjustments under sporting parameters while attempting to retain core assets and integrate arrivals. By locking down the executive suite after nearly twenty-four months of interim uncertainty, the Friedkins have provided structural clarity at the top. Whether Galantic’s corporate acumen can seamlessly translate into sustained on-pitch competitiveness on Europe's grandest stage will define this next chapter in the capital.

## Sources

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- [Football Italia Wed, July 29, 2026 at 12:05 PM UTC · 1 min read](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/official-roma-appoint-galantic-ceo-120500695.html) — original