Colin Carter AM
Director 1987-1993 and since 2008, President since 2011
Member of the Corporate Governance, Finance, Audit and Remuneration Committees
Member of the Order of Australia
Bachelor of Commerce, MBA
Originally from Perth, Colin has been a supporter since Polly Farmer came to Geelong. He first joined the Cats board in 1988 but retired in 1993 on appointment to the AFL Commission. He served on the Commission until 2008 when he re-joined the Cats board and was appointed President in 2011.
Colin’s involvement with football started in 1985 when his report for the VFL outlined a national competition and the draft and salary cap strategies to keep all clubs competitive. Two years later, he brokered agreement between the VFL and MCC which led to the return of VFL Members to the MCG and building the Great Southern Stand. Later, he led the working group that prepared the AFL’s strategy for grassroots development.
Colin’s career was as a management consultant with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He retired in 2001 but is still an Adviser to BCG and to other organisations on 'governance' issues. He has written a book on 'governance' published by Harvard University in 2003.
He is currently a director of two public companies – SEEK and Lend Lease - and is a director of World Vision. Until recently, he was a director of Wesfarmers and also of the Ladder Project which is the AFL Players’ Association's project to combat youth homelessness. For the past 20 years he has been involved with a number of Indigenous organisations across Australia.
Colin has a Commerce degree from Melbourne University and an MBA from Harvard. He is married to Angie – from Wyoming - who is now a fanatical Geelong supporter. They have three adult sons and live in Melbourne.
VICE-PRESIDENT
Bob Gartland
Vice President since 2014
Director since 2007
Chair of Remuneration Committee
Cert. IV Business (Estate Agency Practice), CEA (REIV), MAICD
Born and educated in Geelong, Bob has been a lifelong supporter of the Geelong Cats. He has been a Director of the Geelong Cats since 2007, Vice President since 2014 and is a member of the Geelong Football Club Past Players and Officials Association. Bob is also Chair of the Geelong Cats Honouring the Past Management Committee, is a Foundation Member of the Geelong Cats Forever Bequest Club, and is Chair of the Geelong Cats History Society.
He has been an active member of the Geelong Business Community for 36 years, and been involved in the Property and Real Estate industry for 32 years. His associated companies consult to clients on Real Estate investment and development, and have managed a portfolio in excess of $300 million, has won substantial recognition for business achievements, and was awarded “Business of the Year” in the Geelong Business Excellence Awards.
Bob has served on various business and community boards and committees in the Geelong Region, is a Past Deputy Chair of Central Geelong Management Committee, is an Ambassador for Anam Cara Community Hospice, and is a recipient of the Kevin Hitchcock Medal for services to the Community. Bob is married to Phillipa, they have two children and three grandchildren, who are all avid Geelong supporters.
DIRECTORS
Craig Drummond
Director since 2011
Member of the Finance and Audit Committee
Bachelor of Commerce, CA
Craig Drummond joined Medibank Private Limited in July 2016 as Chief Executive Officer. Medibank Private Limited is a leading private health insurer, with 40 years of experience delivering better health to Australians.
Craig has had over 30 years’ experience in the financial sector – Group Executive Finance and Strategy at NAB from 2013 to 2016; Bank of America Merrill Lynch as Chief Executive Officer and Country Head from 2009 to 2013. And previous to that Goldman Sachs JB Were (1986 to 2009), in various roles culminating in Chief Executive Officer.
Craig graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne in 1981. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Wharton University in 2001. Craig is a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and is a Chartered Accountant.
Craig is a Director of The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health and the Geelong Football Club. He is also a Finance Committee member at Ian Potter Foundation.
Grant McCabe
Director since 2019
A managing director and partner of global consulting firm, Boston Consulting Group, McCabe grew up in Geelong, where his family still reside, and is a long-time member and supporter of the club.
After attending St Mary’s Technical School and Newcomb Secondary College, McCabe completed an Aerospace Engineering degree at RMIT. He then completed a Masters of Business Administration, which in turn began his career in management consulting.
McCabe’s areas of expertise include driving commercial growth within businesses, strategy, leadership development, identifying new markets and the use of technology to transform businesses.
McCabe has also supported our club in a voluntary capacity in several important ways in recent years. He played an integral role in the club’s successful bid for an AFLW licence, leading the integration of women’s football into the club and Geelong region, and also used his overseas travel to assess issues that interest the club – such as visiting the Green Bay Packers to explore membership-type issues.
McCabe brings a wealth of industry knowledge to the club’s board. He was appointed by the AFL as independent chair of the AFL Industry Governance Committee for Player Development in 2017. The committee is currently developing an industry wide strategy to tackle issues around mental health and player wellbeing. The Committee includes representatives from the AFL, the AFLPA, clubs, player agents and past players.
McCabe is married to Kate and they have two teenage daughters, Cleo and Lily, who are also Geelong supporters.
Hugh Seward
Director since 2010
Member of the Finance and Audit Committee
Member of the Corporate Governance Committee,
M.B., B.S., D.Obst. R.C.O.G.,
F.A.C.S.P., F.A.S.M.F., F.S.E.M. (UK)
Hugh has been a life long supporter of the Geelong Cats and can trace his club heritage back to his great-grandfather who played in Geelong Football Club’s 1886 Championship Team. He served as club doctor for 25 years from 1982 to 2006 and is a Life Member of the Cats.
Hugh practices as a Sport and Exercise Physician, and General Practitioner, at Newtown Medical Centre, a short distance from GMHBA Stadium. He was the President, then CEO of the AFL Doctors Association over a 25 year period and has been honoured with AFL Life Membership for this work, as well as his contribution to injury surveillance, prevention and concussion management in Australian Football. He has been part of Australia’s Medical team at the last two Commonwealth Games and Director of Games Village Medical Services at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
He is a conjoint Senior Lecturer at Deakin University’s School of Medicine and previously held the position of Senior Research Fellow at Monash and Federation Universities. He is Chair of Council at The Geelong College.
He and his wife Claire have four children and two grandchildren who are all avid Cats fans.
Kate Spargo
Director since 2016
Member of the Finance and Audit Committee
Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Arts, FAICD
Kate is a long time fan and supporter of the Geelong Cats, having followed them since first seeing them when she lived in Geelong for a time while working in the histopathology laboratory at the Geelong Hospital. And she is especially excited to see the development of women’s football.
Kate works as a director of a number of companies. These include UGL, Fletcher Building and SMEC, all in the engineering and construction sectors, as well as Sonic Healthcare and Sigma Pharmaceutical in the healthcare area. She is also a director of Adairs, a linen and home furnishing company.
Prior to working as a director, Kate was a lawyer for some years in Adelaide and worked mostly in prosecutions, as well as in the workplace health and safety and industrial areas. She moved to Melbourne with her Geelong fanatic husband and her children in 2000.
Kate has a deep interest in physical and mental wellbeing, particularly in the workplace, and is working to sustain programs to focus on this area in companies where she works. Player wellbeing, both on and off the field, and also post football career, is something she sees as a high priority in football clubs.
Diana Taylor
Director since 2010
Chair of Corporate Governance Committee
Bachelor of Laws (Hons), Bachelor of Arts, AICD Diploma
A lifelong and passionate Geelong Football Club member, Diana was born and raised in Geelong.
Diana is a qualified lawyer, company director and consultant. She also has almost 20 years of AFL, State and Community Football administration experience with her previous roles including President of the Western Region Football League, Victorian Football League Tribunal member, Victorian Football League Appeal Board Member and AFL Victoria Fair Game: Respect Matters Chairperson.
For 7 years, Diana was the Executive Director and General Counsel of Geelong based consultancy business the CT Management Group, and in 2016 was awarded the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award for Victoria (Corporate & Private). Diana had previously worked as a senior lawyer at multiple firms and businesses including Clayton Utz, Freehills and as in-house counsel at Aviva Australia.
Diana now runs her own consultancy business, Diana Taylor Consulting, and on a part-time basis is Netball Australia’s General Counsel. She is also Chair of Anam Cara House Geelong and is a Board Member on the Geelong Authority and the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Brian Cook
Chief Executive Officer since 1999 and Director since 2009
Bachelor of Education (SCV Rusden) (1978)
Master of Education(University of WA) (1980)
Brian Cook has long been recognised as one of Australia’s leading sports administrators. With 29 years as an AFL club CEO with the West Coast and Geelong, Cook is the equal longest serving CEO in the 121 year history of the league.
As CEO of the Geelong Football Club since 1999, Cook has led the Cats from a near bankrupt regional club to one of the country’s leading sports brands, enjoying unprecedented success both on and off the field.
Known for his strong values based leadership style, Cook has overseen the rebirth of the Cats. The club broke a 44 year premiership drought in 2007, winning the grand final by a record margin. Further premierships followed in 2009 and 2011, and the club has continued to challenge for further success while undergoing a complete transformation of its playing list.
Cook has led a four stage redevelopment of the Cats home ground, GMHBA Stadium, resulting in $200 million in investment to turn to the stadium and the club’s training facilities into best in the country.
Under Cook’s stewardship, the Cats have implemented a strong community outreach, featuring 10 flagship programs that look to improve the lives and decision making among young people.
The club was close to $10 million in liabilities when Cook arrived, but now is one of the most stable sporting organisations in Australia, with a membership base that has grown from 18,000 to an expected 60,000 in 2018, and has seen turnover rise from $16 million to nearly $60 million.
Prior to joining the Cats, Cook spent nine years at the helm of the West Coast Eagles. He guided the Eagles to premierships in 1992 and 1994, marking the first times that a non-Victorian club had won the AFL grand final. During that period the Eagles averaged an operating profit of $3 million and grew membership from 10,000 to 30,000.
A life member of the AFL and the Geelong Football Club, Cook was named as the Eunice Gill award winner for services to coaching at a national level in 1994, was awarded the Australian Sports medal in 2001 and was recognised as the Australian sport’s executive of the year by the Confederation of Australian sport in 2007.
Cook currently serves as a director of the Geelong Football Club and the Slade Group, is Chair of the Geelong Cats foundation and Barwon Health, is patron of Wombat’s wish and is an advisory member of Geelong major events.
Cook completed the Advanced management program at Harvard Business School in 2013 and holds a Master of Education from the University of Western Australia and a Bachelor of Education from Deakin University.
An elite athlete in his own right, Cook was a golden gloves boxer and played with both Hawthorn and Melbourne. He moved west and represented Subiaco and East Perth in the WAFL, and also was an assistant coach at East Perth and senior coach at Ainslie in the ACT.
Cook continues to thrive in competitive situations as a swimmer, and he has 10 successful solo crossings of the annual 20km Rottnest Island swim.
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT TEAM
Sarah Albon
General Manager Community Development
Sarah is one of the club’s longest serving employees, and commenced her current role as General Manager of Community in 2011.
Over that period, sarah has led the club’s efforts in the community space, building award winning programs that positively impact on the community. The club’s programs central purpose is to build a better and healthier community with particular focus on children of school age.
Sarah’s role is to develop and manage these programs in collaboration with many partner organisations that bring professional expertise from the health, education and community service sectors to ensure programs are evidence based and ethically sound.
In 2019 Sarah spearheaded the club’s sensory zone, a project that allows those with sensory needs to enjoy a day at the football. This project was two years in the making and included wide consultation both locally and internationally.
Sarah commenced her time at the Geelong Football Club as a university intern in 2001 and over eight years held roles in events, marketing, public relations and communications. Sarah enjoyed two years in the United Kingdom working for both the International Cricket Council and England & Wales Cricket Board in 2008 and 2009, returning home to take on the role of director of marketing for EMC group before re-joining the Cats in her current role. Sarah has served as the Cats acting CEO on multiple occasions and studied at Harvard Business School in 2018.
In addition to her role at the Cats, Sarah currently holds roles on three boards including Read the Play, Active Geelong and Geelong Mums.
Sarah lives in Geelong with her husband and three sons.
Braith Cox
Chief Commercial Officer
Braith Cox joined the club as Business Development Manager in 2010 and in 2015 was promoted to General Manager Partnerships & Corporate Sales. In 2018, Braith was promoted to the role of Chief Commercial Officer.
Originally from Ballarat, Braith has a background in professional sport as a past captain of Geelong SEABL team the Supercats and as an ex NBL player with the Perth Wildcats and Melbourne Tigers.
Braith studied a Bachelor of Management and has an extensive advertising and marketing background working with Prime TV and Nunn Media.
After developing Nunn Media’s digital division, he joined the club and since then his experience and expertise in sales and business development has helped build some of the club’s largest partnerships.
Braith lives in Geelong with wife Angie and children Scarlett and Sonny.
Kevin Diggerson
General Manager Media & Public Relations
Kevin Diggerson has led Geelong’s media and public relations activities since 2003. Working with an energetic and committed staff, the Cats have instigated a highly successful strategy of communicating with their supporters through both traditional and new media. The launch of CATS TV in 2010 has seen even greater scope for the Cats’ stars to be accessible to supporters around the world.
Before joining the Cats Diggerson spent time working with the AFL website and the National Basketball League. He has worked on the media unit with the Australian teams at three summer and one winter Olympic Games.
Tracy Gilligan
General Manager - People & Culture
Tracy Gilligan joined the Club in January 2017 as the GM – People and Culture.
As GM – People and Culture, Tracy is responsible for HR strategy, HR policy and process, employee engagement, change management, organisational design and effectiveness, diversity & inclusion, performance and rewards, learning and development, OH&S, health and wellbeing, culture and value alignment, talent management, leadership coaching and integrity requirements.
Prior to joining the Club, Tracy was a Director at PwC for 13 years. Tracy then had a four-year break from full time employment where she relocated to Switzerland for 2 years and California for 2 years as a trailing spouse with her husband and children. Upon returning, Tracy and her husband established a successful international HR consultancy business, One World Mobility.
Tracy is married to Brian who is from New Jersey. Brian had no choice but to become a passionate Cats member. They live in Torquay with their children who are also passionate Cats members.
Simon Lloyd
General Manager Football
Simon Lloyd was appointed as General Manager – Football at the conclusion of the 2017 season.
Lloyd had spent the past two seasons as the Cats director of coaching, and has enjoyed success in various roles in the game.
Lloyd has enjoyed a long and successful career with 20-years AFL industry experience, working across the key football functions of coaching, high performance, development, recruitment and psychology, and recently completed the AFL's level four senior coach program.
Lloyd joined the Cats after spending six years with Fremantle. He was a key part of the Dockers coaching staff that in 2013 led the club to its first grand final.
Lloyd has also held positions with Collingwood and Hawthorn. He was with the Magpies from 2005-2009 as high performance manager, psychologist and specialist coach. He joined the Hawks in 1998 and served the club as development coach, psychologist and player development manager until the end of the 2004 season.
A fine player in his day, Lloyd played reserves and was captain at under 19 level with Carlton, before joining VFA club Williamstown. He helped Williamstown win the 1990 premiership and played 87 games for the Seagulls between 1990 and 1994, then returned to post-graduate study and started his coaching career. Lloyd holds a Masters of Applied Psychology (Sport) and is a registered psychologist.
Simon Kelleher
Chief Financial Officer
Simon was appointed as the Chief Financial Officer of the Geelong Football Club in June 2018.
Simon is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Prior to joining Geelong Football Club, Simon was a key Executive member of the Carlton Football Club as CFO since 2015. Simon has held several other positions in the Sports and Entertainment Industry including Group Financial Controller at the Victorian Racing Club and Group Finance Manager at Crown Resorts, in addition, Simon has held number of Directorship roles in related organisations and at Community Sport level along the journey.
As CFO Simon is primarily responsible for developing and maintain a sustainable operating model for the Geelong Cats as well leading the Finance, IT, Facilities and Foundation teams.
