MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced Saturday the nomination of Olivier Renard as the club’s sporting director.

Olivier Renard, 40, was the sporting director of Belgian club KV Mechelen, from 2014 to 2016, occupying the same role with Standard de Liège, from 2016 to 2019. More recently, he sat on the executive board of Royal Antwerp FC as a sporting consultant.

“We’re extremely happy to welcome Olivier among us,” declared the president and CEO of the Montreal Impact, Kevin Gilmore. “His profile fits the criteria we were looking for. He will play a crucial role in implementing our identity and our sporting structure to establish ourselves as a leading club in MLS. He also proved during the last few years that he is able to find excellent players early in their career and oversee them in a structure that favours their development, all while building a successful squad.”

In his first season with Liège, in 2016, Renard notably contributed to Standard’s win in the Belgian Cup, as well as helping the team reach the Europa League group stage. In 2018, the team won the Belgian Cup again, finished second in the Jupiler Pro League and made it to the qualifying stage of the UEFA Champions League. In 2019, the Rouches finished third in the league and reached the Europa League group stage. Despite his brief stint with Antwerp, Renard had an immediate impact on the club which currently sits third in the regular season table.

During his time in Sclessin, he was behind the signings, development as well as transfers of Razvan Marin, Moussa Djenepo, Guillermo Ochoa and other players, making over €50 million in profits for the club. In Malines, he notably recruited Sofiane Hanni, Ivan Obradovic, Jordi Van Leerberg and Milos Kosanovic before transferring them for over €13 million in profit.

As a player, Renard’s career spanned over a few seasons, during which he played as a professional goalkeeper in Belgium and Italy, from 1996 to 2003. He notably played 53 games with Standard de Liège, from 2005 to2008, and 112 games with KV Mechelen, from 2008 to 2013. In Italy, he wore the colours of Udinese, Modena FC, and SSC Napoli.

With the national team, he represented Belgium at the U18, U19, and U20 levels, taking part in the U20 World Cup in 1997. He also played with the senior side from 2008 to 2012.

In his new functions, Renard will report to Kevin Gilmore, Impact president and CEO, and will work closely with Walter Sabatini, the global sporting director of the Montreal Impact and Bologna FC 1909. In Montreal, Renard will be supported by Vassili Cremanzidis, Head of Analysis and Assistant Director of Player Personnel, Philippe Eullaffroy, Academy director, and Patrick Leduc, Administrative Director of Soccer Operations.