​FIFA chief compliance officer joins DLA Piper

Hanover is a compliance lawyer and litigator with particular experience in the sports and life-sciences industries. He joins from FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), the international governing body of professional soccer, where he served as chief compliance officer and was responsible for implementing a successful compliance program and leading a team of compliance professionals providing support to 211 member associations and six confederations around the world.

In 2015, trouble bubbled to the surface for FIFA upon discovery of a widespread scandal that resulted in nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives being charged with participating in a 24-year scheme of racketeering, wire fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and bribery. Hanover came on board FIFA as the governing body was trying to clean up its tarnished image.

“The chief compliance officer position was created as part of the comprehensive package of reforms approved by the FIFA Congress in February,” FIFA said about the hiring of Hanover. “The reforms demonstrate FIFA’s commitment to the principles of good governance, integrity and transparency in all areas of its operations.”

That said, Hanover brings a wealth of experience to DLA piper. “The global sports industry continues to expand and become more complex. Ed is well-positioned to provide world-class guidance to the entire spectrum of industry participants who face an increasing number of high-profile investigations and other complex legal challenges and to counsel clients on developing and improving their compliance programs,” said Frank Ryan, DLA Piper’s elected U.S. and global chair and U.S. co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property and Technology practice.

Prior to FIFA, Hanover served as vice president and head of compliance for emerging markets for Takeda Pharmaceuticals and as general counsel and head of compliance for international operations for Novo Nordisk.