THE CARLTON Football Club is pleased to announce the official commencement of Luke Sayers in the role of President.

Sayers formally begins in the role from today, having completed an extensive handover with incumbent President Mark LoGiudice, who announced earlier this year that this season would be his last after 12 years on the Board, eight of those as President.

A highly respected and successful business leader, Sayers has been a Director of the Club since 2012 and is currently the executive chairman of Sayers, a Melbourne-based investment and advisory company.

A father of four daughters, Sayers in 2019 received a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to business, to people with a disability, and to the community.

He recently held the position of CEO at PricewaterhouseCoopers Australia for eight years, where he provided leadership to a team of more than 700 partners and 8000 staff who partner with global, Asian and Australian businesses, governments, and entrepreneurs to help them grow and succeed.

In a letter to Carlton members, Sayers wrote that taking on the responsibility as the 31st President of the Carlton Football Club would come with a member-first and football focus.

“It is with enormous pride that I step into the role as President of the Carlton Football Club, however I do so knowing full well the responsibility I have to you, our members,” Sayers wrote.

“My overriding priority as I enter this role is the performance of our men’s and women’s football teams.


“We must never forget our core business. It is doing everything in our power to win games of football, to playing finals, and to put ourselves in a position to win premierships. That has to be our singular focus.

“Along with my fellow Directors and with the support of our staff, players and coaches, we will not shy away from our responsibility to improve the Club’s results on the field, to ensure they match the significant achievements we have made off it.

“My commitment, as the 31st President of this football club, is to ensure we do what is required to deliver on that responsibility.

Sayers has led the process of the Club’s independent review of the Football Department, saying the review was commissioned on the basis that the Club iIs not satisfied with on-field performance and owes it to club members and supporters to leave no stone unturned to improve the Club’s performance.

“For this reason, on 8 June, we commenced an independent review of our Football Department. This review was commissioned on the basis that as a football club, we are not satisfied with our on-field performance and we owe it to our members and supporters to conduct a process to ensure the necessary improvements are made.

“The independent, external panel last week provided an update to me, to the Board and to CEO Cain Liddle. This process is now reaching its final stages and I assure you we will not be making any public comment until we have directly communicated with you, our members. This will include providing you with the summarised findings of the review that I know members have a deep and justified interest in.

Sayers also acknowledged veterans Marc Murphy, Eddie Betts and Levi Casboult who will all depart the Club in season 2021.

“I’d like to also take this opportunity to acknowledge club champions Marc Murphy (300 games), Eddie Betts, who will this weekend play an incredible 350 games, and Levi Casboult who will all depart the Club this season after stellar careers in the Navy Blue. I wish them nothing but the best for the next chapters of their lives and thank them for everything they have contributed to our club, both on and off the field.”

“As a lifelong Carlton supporter, becoming President of our club is a huge honour, and I have a profound appreciation of my obligation to you and our club’s history. I look forward to sharing the journey with you and rising to this challenge.”

First order of business, to act upon the findings from the review led by Geoff Walsh, Matthew Pavlich and Graham Lowe.

Second order of business, to fend off Vince Loccisano's board challenge?!

Third order of business to rebuild the footy department.

Welcome to the top job Luke!

What's Vince COlossimo got to do with all this?

What's Vince COlossimo got to do with all this?

Crisis actor

He speaks

[quote=“Luke Sayers”]Dear Donstuie

It is a great privilege to be able to write to you for the first time, having now officially commenced as President of your football club.

Today I completed an extensive handover with Mark LoGiudice, who announced earlier this year that this season would be his last. We thank Mark for his service to the Club, both as President for eight years and for his 12 years on the Board.

It is with enormous pride that I step into the role as President of the Carlton Football Club, however I do so knowing full well the responsibility I have to you, our members, and I’d like to thank you for your ongoing commitment and support of the Club.

My overriding priority as I enter this role is the performance of our men’s and women’s football teams.

We must never forget our core business. It is doing everything in our power to win games of football, to play finals, and to put ourselves in a position to win premierships. That has to be our singular focus.

For this reason, on 8 June, we commenced an independent review of our Football Department. This review was commissioned on the basis that as a football club, we are not satisfied with our on-field performance and we owe it to our members and supporters to conduct a process to ensure the necessary improvements are made.

The independent, external panel last week provided an update to me, to the Board and to CEO Cain Liddle. This process is now reaching its final stages and I assure you we will not be making any public comment until we have directly communicated with you, our members. This will include providing you with the summarised findings of the review that I know members have a deep and justified interest in.

Along with my fellow Directors and with the support of our staff, players and coaches, we will not shy away from our responsibility to improve the Club’s results on the field, to ensure they match the significant achievements we have made off it.

My commitment, as the 31st President of this football club, is to ensure we do what is required to deliver on that responsibility.

I’d like to also take this opportunity to acknowledge club champions Marc Murphy (300 games), Eddie Betts, who will this weekend play an incredible 350 games, and Levi Casboult who will all depart the Club this season after stellar careers in the Navy Blue. I wish them nothing but the best for the next chapters of their lives and thank them for everything they have contributed to our club, both on and off the field.

I also hope you and your families are all keeping safe and well as we once again navigate through the challenges of a COVID environment. My thoughts are with all of our Carlton members who are impacted as a result of the latest lockdowns across the country.

As a lifelong Carlton supporter, becoming President of our club is a huge honour, and I have a profound appreciation of my obligation to you and our club’s history. I look forward to sharing the journey with you and rising to this challenge.


Luke Sayers
President
Member ID: 2908822

(unless anyone here has access to board minutes, it's impossible to know who said what and who was responsible for what, and who voted which way)

Yep agree but maybe some acknowledgment of the board’s failings which he has been part of regardless of his position wouldn’t go astray
And as he would know you make a review so public will have a toxic effect on the working environment
It could have been kept in-house far more

We will never really know but maybe making the review public was a deliberate decision to shake the joint up.

I'd love to believe that internally he could see how poorly the club have operated in some areas and making the review public was a way to clean house.