Gerd Pieper, long-term Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA, will resign from office for health reasons with effect from the end of 24 September 2021 and will leave the Supervisory Board. The news, which reached us on Thursday, prompted deep sorrow among both the management and the other committees of the club.

Entrepreneur Gerd Pieper has been a member of the Supervisory Board of Borussia Dortmund GmbH & Co. KGaA since 25 November 2003 and was elected Chairman of the Supervisory Board for the first time on 2 November 2004, just under a year later. "This office is both an honour and a challenge to take into account the principles of the club, especially within the KGaA [partnership limited by shares]," Pieper once said.

"Gerd Pieper has worked for the club for almost two decades with great personal commitment. One of his many strengths is to ensure unity with his prudent, calm nature, because he always keeps his focus on what matters, without ignoring the opinions of others. It pains us that he has to resign from an office for health reasons, as no one can do the job better than him," emphasises CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Until 2018, Pieper was the sole managing director of the Stadt-Parfümerie Pieper GmbH Parfümerie International perfumery with 145 stores and around 1100 employees, before he retired from the company and handed over the management to his sons. Next Saturday (28 August), Pieper, who has been awarded the Grand Federal Cross of Merit, the Federal Service Cross, the 1st Class Federal Cross of Merit and numerous other honours, will celebrate his 78th birthday. Pieper, who, in addition to numerous honorary offices, was mayor of his home town of Herne between 1981 and 1994, was named a "Favourite Son of the Ruhr Region" in 2005.

Alongside his family, including wife Gabriele and two sons Oliver and Torsten, his heart also belongs to Borussia Dortmund. As a schoolchild, he experienced the first two German championships in 1956 and 1957. "For me, the first special experience in the stadium was the 5-0 victory against Benfica in 1963." Pieper has been a club member since 1983. In November 2008, the club's general assembly elected him to the office of deputy president. He will no longer be standing for re-election to this post at the next election.

"I received this decision from Gerd Pieper with great sorrow, but also with great understanding. Gerd is not only my deputy – he is my friend. Health is the most important thing," said Dr. Reinhard Rauball, president of Ballspielverein Borussia 09 e.V. – another body in which current vice president Gerd Pieper will not stand for re-election at the next elections. Rauball added: "Everyone at BVB owes a great debt of thanks to Gerd Pieper. His constantly positive manner, with which he performed the office of vice-president over a period of almost 13 years, was exemplary and shaped this club. I hope that we will continue to experience plenty of great times with our Borussia in future."

"It was both an honour and a pleasure for me to serve Borussia Dortmund over this long period. My current health situation and the responsibility inherent in the offices I hold now force me to be leave unexpectedly and prematurely. I would like to thank all members, fans, business partners and shareholders – as well as the management, all members of the committees and all employees of Borussia Dortmund for the trust they have shown in me. Rest assured that I will continue to follow one rule in this new phase of life: once a BVB man, always a BVB man!"