Fitzroy great Michael Conlan has been appointed as CEO of AFL Queensland.
AFL Queensland and the AFL are pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Conlan to the position of CEO of AFL Queensland.
Mr Conlan comes to AFL Queensland with over 20 years of experience in the Australian and international sports industry. He has worked both inside the AFL and for major companies including Nike, Reebok/Adidas and most recently running, his own company Conlan Consulting working with several global organisations.
Conlan played 210 games and kicked 395 goals for Fitzroy in a career spanning 13 years. In his three years at the AFL, he lead the corporate team that secured major partnerships including Fosters, former Auskick partner Simpson and NAB.
Speaking of the appointment, AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou welcomed Mr Conlan back to the AFL.
“The AFL welcomes Michael to the position and looks forward to his extensive sports management experience contributing to the continued growth of AFL Football in Queensland and to the success of the AFL Queensland team,” Mr Demetriou said.
The CEO role with AFL Queensland plays a critical part in the growth of the game and implementation of the AFL’s strategic plan.
AFLQ Chairman Darryl Bray said it was great to have someone with Michael’s experience both on and off the field to lead the state body in the next phase of its development.
“Michael’s background within the sports industry and as an elite player makes him a great fit to lead the team at AFL Queensland.
“We are excited about the future of our game in Queensland. We have delivered substantial growth in the past decade and it will be fantastic to have Michael lead our staff to ensure we achieve our ambitious targets for participation, community engagement and the development of talented athletes in the future,” Bray said.
AFL Queensland has grown over the past decade to a full time staff of 100, operates offices in ten regional centres from Cape York to Northern NSW, and has achieved over 400% growth in participation with over 133,000 registered participants in 2011.
In making the announcement, Bray also paid tribute to former CEO Richard Griffiths, who resigned in December after 15 years at the helm to take up the role of Chief Operating Officer at new AFL club the GWS Giants.
Michael will commence as AFLQ CEO on Monday, March 12.
