The San Francisco 49ers have announced a series of front office changes ahead of the 2025 season, promoting key personnel and welcoming new talent across their football operations, scouting, and analytics departments.
In a significant leadership move, Ran Carthon and **Tariq Ahmad** have both been elevated to vice presidential roles. Ahmad, entering his 12th season with the franchise, has been named Vice President of Player Personnel after serving one year as Director of Player Personnel. He will continue overseeing the college scouting department and player evaluations, with a focus on the NFL Draft and free agency.
Josh Gillen, who also previously held the Director of Player Personnel title, has been promoted to Assistant General Manager. Now entering his 11th season with the organization, Gillen will lead pro scouting operations, monitoring talent across other professional leagues and supporting acquisition strategies through free agency and trades. He also contributes to game preparation via advance scouting.
Brian Hampton, a long-serving member of the front office, has been named Assistant General Manager as well. With over two decades in the organization, Hampton transitions from his role as Vice President of Football Administration. His responsibilities include guiding the club’s roster construction, managing contract negotiations, and overseeing salary cap strategy and planning. Hampton’s career with the 49ers began in 2003 as a football operations intern, and he has steadily climbed the ranks since.
On the analytics side, **Alex Ploenzke** has been promoted to Vice President of Football Research and Development. In his sixth season with the team, Ploenzke continues to lead the club’s advanced data strategy, designing player valuation models and offering statistical insights to support roster building decisions.
Nikhil Ramamurthy moves up from football data scientist to Manager of Football R\&D, entering his fourth season. His work supports the team’s growing emphasis on data-driven decision-making.
In player scouting, Andrew Fox has been promoted to player personnel scout after serving as an analyst. He begins his second season with the team. Paul Schutta also earned a promotion, stepping into the role of pro scout after a season as a pro personnel analyst. Evan Kwon, entering his fourth year with the 49ers, has been elevated from scouting assistant to area scout.
Adam Rush, previously Vice President of Football Communications, has been promoted to Executive Vice President of Communications. Now in his fifth season, Rush will oversee both the team’s football communications and community relations efforts.
The 49ers also announced a new addition to their analytics team. **Noah Klein** joins the organization as a performance analyst in the Research and Development department. Klein brings experience from collegiate and professional sports, including roles with Michigan State men’s basketball, FC Cincinnati, the Chicago Bulls, and UFC.
As the franchise gears up for the 2025 campaign, these structural changes reflect San Francisco’s commitment to evolving its football operations with a blend of experience, innovation, and fresh perspective.