Dear Members,
Following my letter last week, I’m writing to share further updates that are central to the future direction of our club. These include important news regarding our CEO, Gary Pert, and key Board nominees, including Steven Smith, who has committed to stepping forward to support the club’s stability and growth.
Firstly, it is with mixed emotions that I announce that, after six years as CEO of the Melbourne Football Club, Gary Pert has decided to retire and will step down from his role.
After careful consideration of what is best for the club, his family, and his own future, Gary concluded that now is the right time to initiate the search for his successor. I want to make it absolutely clear that this decision, including its timing, is Gary’s own.
On behalf of the entire club and Board, I sincerely thank Gary for the invaluable contributions he has made to the red and blue since joining us at the end of the 2018 season. His leadership has been pivotal in delivering a series of significant achievements both on and off the field, instilling a deep sense of pride in all Dees supporters.
Notably, under Gary’s leadership, the club celebrated both an AFL premiership in 2021 and an AFLW premiership in 2022, accompanied by regular finals appearances. A key element of his legacy will be the football review he conducted in 2020, which was instrumental in setting the stage for our 2021 premiership success.
Gary’s influence has also been felt in our financial stability and commercial performance. During his tenure, we achieved record membership growth, rising from 40,000 to over 70,000 members by 2023.
To ensure continuity on one of our most important projects, the Board has asked Gary to stay on in a consulting role, focusing on establishing our state-of-the-art training and administration base at Caulfield Racecourse Reserve. I am pleased to say Gary has accepted this role.
Gary will remain CEO until the end of the year, allowing us ample time to celebrate his remarkable contributions before he narrows his focus to the future of our club at Caulfield.
As the club embarks on an extensive search for our next CEO to guide Melbourne’s future, our Chief Operating Officer, David Chippindall, will step in as interim from January 2025, providing steady leadership until the new CEO is firmly in place.
Members will receive a call for nominations for the Board tomorrow inviting all eligible members passionate about Melbourne’s future to participate.
In an exciting development, I am thrilled to announce that Steven Smith will nominate for a position on the Board. Should members elect him, I will encourage Steven to seek board endorsement to succeed me as President of the Melbourne Football Club at the end of the 2025 AFL season. His vision and commitment to our club are invaluable assets as we look toward a united and successful future.
In line with our succession planning and recent governance review, the Board has been actively identifying the skills and attributes required to lead the club into the future. I am pleased to announce that, along with Steven, Chris Barlow also intends to nominate for the Board.
If elected, it is the Board’s view that Steven and Chris would each bring a unique blend of experience, passion and strategic vision to our club.
To give you a bit more background, Steven has a deep history with the Melbourne Football Club and the MCC. He played over 200 games for the Dees and won the Best and Fairest in 1981. He also served as MCC President from 2015 to 2019, where he played a key role in securing the AFL Grand Final at the MCG until 2057 and introducing new membership categories. He is a long-serving property and real estate partner named in Best Lawyers™ Australia for Property Law and Retirement Villages and Senior Living Law for the last five years, including ‘Lawyer of the Year.’
Chris Barlow brings vital expertise with decades of experience in retail, property and financial investment and currently serving as Chair of the Big Blue Ocean Group. Chris spent most of his career with a focus in convenience retail, specifically with 7-Eleven building that brand to a dominant, market leading position in Australia from its grass roots in the early 80s. Chris has also served on the Boards of a number of not-for-profit community serving organisations. His fresh perspective and commitment to sustainable growth will further strengthen our Board, bringing new energy and insights to our leadership.
Additionally, I am pleased to confirm that current Directors Sally Freeman and Dr Angela Williams are standing for re-election. Sally Freeman is an experienced Director, auditor and financial expert and has made a terrific contribution to the Board for the three years she has served, including as the current Chair of the Audit, Risk and Integrity Committee.
Dr Angela Williams is a more recent appointment to the Board. Dr Williams is a medical practitioner with postgraduate qualifications in public health, health management, law and business. Dr Williams is an accomplished Director and administrator with extensive Board and Committee experience across a wide variety of sectors including health, emergency services, justice, the Australian Defence Force and both the AFL and Football Victoria.
Already, we have seen her positively contribute to the Board.
I believe that Sally and Angela’s nomination offers the club the stability and expertise we need at this time.
The Board will provide members with further information about the election after the nominations period closes.
Thank you once again, and as always—Go Demons!
Brad Green
President
Melbourne Football Club
