Aston Villa have appointed Hendrik Almstadt as their first sporting director.
The 40-year-old German joins Villa after working as part of the football department at Arsenal over the past four years.
During his time in north London, Almstadt worked alongside Villa chief executive Tom Fox who acted as chief commercial officer at the Emirates.
Fox told the Villa's official website: "I'm really pleased to welcome Hendrik to Aston Villa. I was able to see first hand the excellent work he did at Arsenal and he will add tremendous value across our entire football set-up."
Almstadt added: "I can't wait to start my new role at Aston Villa. It is a club with huge potential, a rich history and deep roots in Birmingham, the Midlands, and within English and European football.
"I look forward to working again with Tom Fox and to establish a close relationship with the manager, Tim Sherwood."