By Aris Barkas/ barkas@eurohoops.net
Chus Bueno and Michael Ilgner emerged as the two candidates for the position of Chief Executive Officer at Euroleague Basketball.
With the shareholders formally deciding to replace the previous CEO, Paulius Motiejunas, during their two-day meeting that was completed today in Barcelona, a vote for the new CEO is expected to be held on Friday.
The process started in December, via a headhunting company, with the initial list consisting of 30 candidates. Only Bueno and Ilgner remain under consideration.
Chus Bueno and Michael Ilgner are the two candidates to be the new EuroLeague CEO. Vote expected to be held on Friday.
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— Aris Barkas (@arbarkas) January 28, 2026
Bueno, 56, is a former basketball player, specifically a point guard, before transitioning into executive management. He held the position of vice president of NBA Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) for 12 years, also served as the executive director of the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB), and was general secretary of the Spanish Basketball Players Union (ABP), among other important basketball roles. Last February, he was appointed as managing director of DAZN Basketball, a global sports entertainment platform.
Ilgner, 54, went from water polo to an executive career. He served as a member of the management board at strategy consultancy Booz Allen Hamilton and as CEO of the German Sports Aid Foundation, held senior roles at Deutsche Bank, joining as head of human resources and senior group director before becoming global head of human resources and real estate, and founded and became CEO of the One May Group firm.
Motiejunas, 44, has been Euroleague Basketball CEO since June 15, 2023. He was previously assigned to several roles with Zalgiris during a lengthy spell with the Kaunas outfit, which included three distinctions as the Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year.