Former Roma chief executive officer Lina Souloukou is set to be appointed CEO of Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ multi-club model.
While Souloukou is expected to oversee all clubs controlled by Marinakis, Nottingham Forest will be the priority.
The contract is still in the process of being finalised, but the plan is for her to take up the role based in London.
Marinakis owns Forest in the Premier League, Olympiacos of Greece and Portugal’s Rio Ave, and the Greek businessman has confirmed he is also also aiming to buy Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.
Souloukou has previously worked with compatriot Marinakis at Olympiacos, where she spent four years as the club’s CEO.
The move would see the Greek executive potentially join former Arsenal sporting director Edu within Marinakis’ multi-club model. The Athletic reported in November an agreement was in place for Edu to take up a new role working with the group of teams controlled by Marinakis following his resignation from Arsenal.
Souloukou was appointed Roma CEO in April 2023 and resigned from her role this September. Her decision to step down came four days after the sacking of head coach Daniele De Rossi.
De Rossi’s dismissal was met with anger by Roma supporters, with Souloukou receiving much of the backlash.
In the wake of De Rossi’s sacking, angry supporters had shown up at Roma’s Trigoria training complex asking for Souloukou’s whereabouts. Graffiti also appeared in the city reading “Where is Lina?”.
Roma club president Dan Friedkin and vice president Ryan Friedkin had described her as “an experienced, respected and trusted leader in both football and business”.
Forest have been without a CEO since Dane Murphy left his role in January 2023. Murphy had joined the club from Barnsley in July 2021, but his influence at the City Ground diminished towards the end of his tenure. Paul Tyrrell was recently appointed Forest’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Olympiacos do not currently have a CEO in place, while Rio Ave operate under a different structure.
(Mehmet Eser/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
