Just Spee

{{short description|Dutch football administrator}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Just Spee | image = Just Spee (2020).jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = KNVB World Coaches 10 years Anniversary | office = President of the Royal Dutch Football Association | term_start = December 2019 | term_end = December 2023 | predecessor = Michael van Praag | successor = Marianne van Leeuwen & Jan Dirk van der Zee (acting) | birth_name = Just Spee | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1965|01|12|df=y}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=UEFA.com |title=The official website for European football |url=https://www.uefa.com/news-media/news/0268-12163a1a58b1-0bbacaefd9dc-1000--just-spee/ |access-date=2024-07-12 |website=UEFA |language=en}}</ref> | birth_place = Haarlem, Netherlands | death_date = | death_place = | party = | spouse = | children = | alma_mater = Vrije Universiteit | occupation = Football administrator <br/> Businessman | signature = | website = }} '''Just Spee''' (born 12 January 1965) is a Dutch football administrator. He served as President of the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) between 17 December 2019 and December 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=KNVB |title=KNVB President Just Spee {{!}} KNVB |url=https://www.knvb.com/about-the-knvb/knvb-president |access-date=May 17, 2020 |website=www.knvb.com |archive-date=26 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926174056/https://www.knvb.com/about-the-knvb/knvb-president |url-status=live }}</ref>

== Background and career == Just Spee was born in Haarlem on 12 January 1965. After his Master Business/Managerial Econometrics at the Vrije Universiteit (Free University of Amsterdam), he started working in business. Spee has worked as a manager at companies such as Procter & Gamble, Philips, Rothmans and Alvarez & Marsal. In 2012 Spee became CEO of Endemol, the biggest independent TV producer in the world. Hereafter, Spee became CEO at Stage Entertainment. Just Spee is a member of the Supervisory Boards of various companies and civil society organizations such as the OLVG hospital (Amsterdam) and UNICEF Netherlands. Furthermore, he was a mentor for Future Female Leaders.

=== Career in football === Just Spee played football at the Royal Haarlem Football Club (Koninklijke HFC). Later he became a member of the board of this football club. Spee had already come into contact with football during his career in business as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Eredivisie Media & Marketing CV. At the end of May 2019, Spee was elected as President of the KNVB.<ref>{{Cite web |last=KNVB |date=May 27, 2019 |title='Just Spee named KNVB President' |url=https://www.knvb.com/news/knvb/knvb-management/921/just-spee-named-knvb-president |access-date=August 10, 2022 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925104909/https://www.knvb.com/news/knvb/knvb-management/921/just-spee-named-knvb-president |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2019, he officially took office as the successor of Michael van Praag.<ref>{{Cite web |last=KNVB |date=December 17, 2019 |title='New KNVB President Just Spee takes office' |url=https://www.knvb.com/news/knvb/knvb-management/1012/new-knvb-president-just-spee-takes-office |access-date=August 10, 2022 |website=www.knvb.com |archive-date=11 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411212625/https://www.knvb.com/news/knvb/knvb-management/1012/new-knvb-president-just-spee-takes-office |url-status=live }}</ref>

Spee was elected as a member of the Executive Committee, the highest executive organ of UEFA, in April 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Just Spee elected to UEFA Executive Committee |url=https://www.knvb.com/news/extra/uefa/1199/just-spee-elected-uefa-executive-committee |website=KNVB |date=20 April 2021 }}</ref> In September 2023, he announced that he was stepping down from his duties as federation president for health reasons, a position he formally held until the association meeting in December 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spee stopt om gezondheidsredenen als voorzitter van de KNVB |url=https://www.knvb.com/news/knvb/knvb-management/1432/just-spee-leaving-knvb-health-reasons |website=KNVB |date=30 September 2023 |language=nl }}</ref> Following his departure, the chairman's duties were temporarily assumed by Marianne van Leeuwen, managing director of professional football, and Jan Dirk van der Zee, managing director of amateur football.<ref>{{cite web |title=KNVB draagt politiechef Frank Paauw voor als opvolger van bondsvoorzitter Just Spee |url=https://www.bav-voetbal.nl/publicaties/knvb-draagt-politiechef-frank-paauw-voor-als-opvolger-van-bondsvoorzitter-just-spee |website=BAV Voetbal |date=19 March 2024 |language=nl }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-sports}} {{succession box | title = President of the Royal Dutch Football Association | years = 2017–2023 | before = Michael van Praag | after = Marianne van Leeuwen & Jan Dirk van der Zee (acting) }} {{end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spee, Just}} Category:Businesspeople from Haarlem Category:Presidents of the Royal Dutch Football Association Category:Members of the UEFA Executive Committee Category:Living people Category:1965 births Category:Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam alumni Category:Endemol people