Oliver Ruhnert Bids Farewell to Union Berlin After Eight Successful Years

Oliver Ruhnert, the personnel executive instrumental in transforming Union Berlin from a 2. Bundesliga team to a representative in the German Champions League, has announced his departure from the club after an impactful eight-year tenure. The current chief scout at FC Union, Ruhnert, confirmed his exit during a statement on Thursday evening.

Ruhnert joined Union in 2017 as the chief scout and quickly ascended to the role of managing director within nine months. He later stepped back voluntarily to enable the experienced football administrator Horst Heldt to assume the managing director position in the summer of 2024, returning to his original scouting role.

It was disclosed that Ruhnert sought to dedicate more time to his other passion—politics. An active member of the SPD and later Die Linke, he joined the newly established Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW) and was nominated to lead his party’s list for the German Federal elections in winter 2025.

In early 2025, Ruhnert took a two-month leave of absence from Union to concentrate on the elections. Following his party’s inability to surpass the five-percent threshold required for representation in the Bundestag, he returned to his football responsibilities. The reasons for his current departure remain unspecified.

Union President Dirk Zingler expressed gratitude for Ruhnert’s contributions, stating, “The sporting progress of our men’s team since 2018 has provided our club with tremendous momentum. Oliver Ruhnert played a significant role in this development, and we are deeply thankful for his commitment over the years.”

In his own words, Ruhnert reflected, “Together, we have achieved successes here that few would have anticipated and that can never be taken away from us. I carry many unforgettable moments from these years and will always maintain a strong connection to Union, its people, its employees, and its fans.”