[SPORT] BRENDON GALE Leaves Richmond and Arrives in Tassie
The Richmond Football Club Announcement
After 15 years as CEO of Richmond Football Club, Brendon Gale today announced that 2024 will be his final year in the role.
Gale has had a profound impact on the Club, on and off the field, for the best part of three decades.
He played 244 games over 12 years between 1990 and 2001, before taking over as CEO in late 2009. His leadership was pivotal to a period of on-field success and financial stability.
Gale said it just felt like the time was right to step away.
“I have spent half my life at this Club as an administrator and player. It is time for me to embark on a new challenge, and for the Club to write the next chapter,” he said.
“I’ll remain absolutely focused on the job at hand for the coming months. It is an exciting and challenging period for us on and off the field.
“The breadth and depth of our leadership is a real feature of our club, and we are all getting on with the job at hand and that is where my energies will be focused.”
Richmond president John O’Rourke said Gale had made an enormous contribution to the Club.
“Brendon has been an outstanding leader of our football club and will continue to play that role in the coming months,” O’Rourke said.
“He has kept the board informed as he has worked through this decision, wanting to ensure a smooth transition.
“There will be a time and a place for all of us to get together and properly pay tribute to the remarkable contribution Brendon has made to this Club.
“We have appointed recruiting firm Transearch International Australia to assist us in finding the Club’s next CEO. It will be a thorough and well considered process and Brendon’s openness around this decision has ensured it does not need to be rushed.”
Tasmania Football Club Announcement
The Tasmania Football Club is thrilled to announce that Brendon Gale has signed on to be the Club’s first CEO, starting in early 2025.
Brendon Gale is arguably the AFL industry’s most successful Chief Executive Officer, leaving the Richmond Football Club as the first AFL Club to reach 100,000 members, having delivered three Premierships and been part of a leadership team that has entrenched the Tigers as one of the AFL’s powerhouse clubs.
On top of his football success, Brendon is a corporate leader, having held non-Executive Director roles in business, the non-Government sector and the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission.
Highly respected, extremely experienced and a proud product of Tasmanian football, Brendon will be joining Tasmania Football Club when he finalises his work for the Richmond Football Club.
Chair of the Tasmania Football Club, Grant O’Brien said he was thrilled on behalf of the Club’s membership, supporters and all Tasmanians.
“Not only have we got a highly successful and proven AFL Club CEO, we have also tempted home a proud son of Tasmania.
“Brendon grew up on the North West Coast of Tasmania, and before his incredible 244-game career at AFL level, he played his early football for Burnie Hawks and represented Tasmanian four times.
“This is an enormous vote of confidence in our Club.
“Brendon is fully committed to focussing on completing his role at the Richmond Football Club in the same professional manner that has been a feature of his leadership at the Club, and while we are excited, we respect the fact that he has a big job to complete before we can welcome him home to Tasmanian football,” Mr. O’Brien said.
Mr O’Brien said that the CEO’s appointment delivers another significant milestone for the Club and clearly signifies the Club progressing toward its debut season in 2028. The Board have a clear action plan for the remainder of 2024, under the proven leadership of Executive Director, Kath McCann.
The Club CEO announcement follows the launch of the Club name, colours and emblem, the signing up of over 190,000 Founding Members and significant progress in the delivery of the Club’s Establishment Phase Business Plan, including key infrastructure projects.
The AFL Statement
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has today congratulated Brendon Gale on his accomplishments over 15 years at the Richmond Football Club and on his appointment as the inaugural CEO of the Tasmania Football Club.
“Brendon is one the great leaders in our industry and has made an incredible impact on the Richmond footy club during his 15 years as Chief Executive,” Mr Dillon said.
“His proven experience in establishing and leading high-performing environments see him as perfect fit as the first CEO for the Tasmania Devils and will see the club set up for success from the start.
“Brendon is an important appointment for Tasmania, and I want to congratulate Grant O’Brien and his team.
“I’m looking forward to continue working with Brendon in his current role at Richmond and then when he starts at the Devils next year.”