Essendon CEO latest: David Barham set to oversee review, Stuart Fox in mix
President David Barham is determined to drive planned changes at Essendon as the club’s next move to find another CEO becomes clearer.
Essendon president David Barham will oversee the delivery of the crucial external review findings designed to help restructure the club.
Barham has come under increasing pressure after the bungled appointment of chief executive Andrew Thorburn, who lasted only one day due to his role as chair of a church group with controversial views.
His resignation continued a turbulent month for the Bombers, but Barham is determined to drive the changes he believes are required to help lift the club after 18 years without a finals win.
As part of the ongoing overhaul, Essendon will now target an experienced football figure such as MCC chief executive Stuart Fox to become new CEO.
Fox, who won three premierships as CEO at Hawthorn and was not named in the Hawks review into the treatment of First Nations players, has run the MCG since 2017.
Respected Brisbane chief executive Greg Swann could also be headhunted.
Swann is one of the longest-serving CEO’s in the game and has been highly rated for his efforts helping the Lions rise up off the bottom.
His experience and standing would also appeal to the Bombers.
The Bombers want to pair new coach Brad Scott and football boss Josh Mahoney with an experienced AFL figure as CEO to help lead the club up the ladder.
Professional services group Ernst & Young ran the external review alongside Thorburn after extensive interviews with key club people over the past month.
The findings are expected to recommend a staffing restructure, more personnel changes and a move away from any disruptive club politics.
But they will have to be approved by the Essendon board before they are announced and implemented, as early as next week.
Last week, director Kevin Sheedy spoke out against the appointment of new coach Scott, saying he had voted instead for premiership captain James Hird.
Sheedy also urged Alastair Clarkson to pick North Melbourne when the Bombers were fighting with the Kangaroos for Clarkson’s signature.
Barham, who replaced previous president Paul Brasher in August to help sack former coach Ben Rutten, was left red-faced after the Thorburn debacle on Tuesday.
However, the club said it had little choice but to accept his resignation once Thorburn decided he could not step aside from his role as chair of the City on a Hill church organisation.
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Barham met with Thorburn on Tuesday to discuss the matter after missing the church’s controversial views on abortion and homosexuality on the church group’s website.
Former president Paul Little on Wednesday said a sense of chaos had engulfed the club and took aim at the Bombers’ recent lack of professionalism.
“The mistakes that are being made – there are just too many quite frankly,” Little said.
Originally published as Essendon CEO latest: David Barham set to oversee review, Stuart Fox in mix
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