# Lotto Soudal Welcomes Yana Seel as Chief Business Officer
Lotto Soudal is taking significant steps toward enhancing its team dynamics with the announcement of Yana Seel’s appointment to a newly created management role. The 37-year-old Kazakhstani native will join the Belgian cycling team as Chief Business Officer, transitioning from her previous position as the first female Managing Director in the WorldTour at Team Astana Premier Tech.
With three years of experience under her belt, Seel is set for a new challenge in her career. In her role, she will operate closely with CEO John Lelangue and focus on various crucial aspects such as Business Development, Marketing, Communication, and Finance across Lotto Soudal’s WorldTour, women’s, and U23 teams.
“I am delighted that we can welcome Yana Seel at the team,” says John Lelangue. “Yana has three years of experience as Managing Director within a WorldTour team and her expertise will undoubtedly be of added value to us. We were looking for a reinforcement on a position which had not been filled in yet. So we created the management function of Chief Business Officer with the aim of strengthening the team around the team.”
Lelangue elaborated on Seel’s responsibilities, emphasizing the structural significance of her role: “In this management position – which mainly consists of three pillars – Yana will always report directly to me. The most important pillar is Business Development and Marketing: Yana will take the lead on everything related to attracting and retaining sponsors. Furthermore, there’s also an important financial pillar: together with me, Yana will be responsible for the financial reporting towards our Board of Directors. The third pillar is communication, in which Yana will define the strategy and direct the communication team.”
Yana Seel shared her enthusiasm about joining Lotto Soudal, expressing her admiration for the team’s long-standing heritage: “First of all, it is a big honour for me to be part of a team like Lotto Soudal. I have been following the team for quite a while and I always feel an enormous passion and warm feeling when I think of Lotto Soudal. Moreover, it is one of the oldest cycling teams of the peloton with a big tradition and continuity.”
Seel, who feels a connection to Belgium despite her Kazakh origins, recognizes the weight of her new responsibilities: “Even though I was born in Kazakhstan, I primarily feel Belgian. So Lotto Soudal kind of feels like coming home. But at the same time, I realize that being part of a team with such tradition entails a big responsibility. I want to give the best of myself working for the team.”
Expressing her readiness for the challenges ahead, she added, “I was ready for a new challenge and had several options, but I immediately felt a connection with Lotto Soudal and CEO John Lelangue. We share the passion for cycling and we have a clear vision for the future.”
With her expertise and shared vision with Lelangue, Yana Seel is looking forward to making a meaningful impact at Lotto Soudal. “I cannot wait to get this new adventure with Lotto Soudal started!” she concluded.
As Lotto Soudal moves forward, Seel’s addition is anticipated to streamline operations and enhance the collective focus on competitive success in the ever-evolving cycling landscape.
