Bayern Munich have elected adidas chairman Herbert Hainer as the club's new president following an emergency board meeting.
The move comes after Uli Hoeness stepped down as president on Friday after being sentenced to three years in prison for tax evasion. Hainer, 59, received a majority vote and will assume the position with immediate effect.
Hainer said: "Uli Hoeness has always served Bayern Munich's best interests with his leadership qualities, his high personal involvement and his exceptional lifetime achievements. He has made a considerable contribution to Bayern Munich becoming one of the most successful and attractive clubs in the world, financially and sportingly, and we will always be extremely grateful to him for this."
The 62-year-old Hoeness tendered his resignation as president of the Bavarian giants and Guardiola believes his friend Hoeness would want attention to turn back onto football itself ahead of Bayern's clash with Bayer Leverkusen this weekend.
"We've got to be able to concentrate on this game," Guardiola said. "I believe that Uli and other people in the club would want that. It's not easy for me to talk about this today - I wish I could speak better German to put my feelings into words better.
Guardiola added: "I've only been here for nine months, but I have realized how important Uli Hoeness is for this club. This club is one of the best in the world and it is his great personality which has made it become that. He is my friend and he will remain my friend. We as a club need to carry on with what we have learnt from Uli."
