Reiner Calmund was considered the ‘godfather of the league’ for many years. His commitment, expertise and visionary ideas earned him respect and recognition beyond the boundaries of the football field. To this day, he remains an influential figure in German professional football. His advice and experience are still sought after by many former colleagues, clubs and associations. He was already enthusiastic about football as a youngster. However, Calmund's own career as an active footballer came to an end after an injury while playing for his home club Frechen 20, but he continued on the pitch as coach of the Frechen B youth team. Calmund trained as a foreign trade merchant, studied business administration and became chairman and managing director of the Cologne-Land football district. In 1976, Reiner Calmund moved to his favourite club Bayer 04 Leverkusen, where he initially worked as youth manager and stadium announcer. He later took over the management of the professional football department and became Managing Director of Bayer 04 Leverkusen Fußball GmbH in 1999. He succeeded in transforming the chemical company's anonymous works club into a modern, successful top international club that was independent of the Bayer Group. During his tenure, the club won the UEFA Cup (1988) and the DFB Cup (1993). Calmund repeatedly lived up to his reputation as the ‘most skilful buyer in the industry’. In 2004, he left the club for health reasons, according to his own statements. On the occasion of the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Reiner Calmund was appointed World Cup ambassador for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia by the state government. Reiner Calmund is a welcome guest on TV programmes and expert panels and always has exciting stories and anecdotes to tell - both from the world of football and beyond. Since the 2017/18 Bundesliga season, Calmund has been a pundit for Sky's football coverage. Reiner Calmund is also known for his passionate social commitment. He has supported numerous organisations, initiatives and projects for many years. Whether as a circus director with disabled children, as a courageous driver in Stefan Raab's ‘Wok-WM 2008’ (Pro7) or in the Cellagon run with musician and extreme sportsman Joey Kelly as part of the RTL charity marathon - Reiner Calmund is fully committed. With his diverse experience from the worlds of sport and business, he is also a sought-after speaker at conferences and corporate events. In his lively talks, he focusses on motivation, business, sport and working life. He draws parallels between companies and professional football clubs and also highlights the differences.