Eels Blogs

I've actually advocated against a Group CEO in the past, particularly when Bob Bentley was appointed to the role, and two jobs were merged into one. However, right now, it's the obvious solution.

There is no right or wrong answer in terms of whether an organisation like Parramatta is best suited to a group CEO or business-unit managers. However, the comment from Tanya Gadiel that a Group CEO represents going back to the past is completely absurd, and reflects that distinct lack of business knowledge and experience that is present on the board today.

It also reflects the paranoia of all things from yesteryear that routinely cripples this club. 

So let's start with the comment that: “I made comments which reflect that a Group CEO is not the right solution, as it is a return to the old days.’’

So lets just start with the Roosters, who have a Group CEO, who also sits on the board. The Roosters moved to that structure, in a significant restructure that saw Steve Noyce made redundant and Brian Canavan coming into a position under Group CEO  Scott Bennetts. 

When the Sharks restructured (again Noyce was the victim), they also moved to a Group CEO model appointing Lyall Gorman into that position. The Panthers had Warren Wilson as Group CEO and replaced him with another group CEO Brian Fletcher.

In fact, across the Rugby League Clubs aligned with Leagues Club, a group CEO is the dominant and preferred structure.

People should not view a Group CEO as being responsible for running the Eels. You still appoint a CEO of the Eels (or even split that role between a commercial and football role) and they report to the Group CEO, particularly in terms of finance and governance. It's fair to say that none of the salary cap dramas we have had would have happened under a Group CEO structure.

Do we need a long-term Group CEO? Maybe, it depends on the level of executive we bring in ultimately as Eels CEO. However, any person with even the slightest level of commercial experience, would understand that right now, the club needs a Group CEO.

This is a board that took more than six months NOT to conduct a recruitment process before it finally promoted John Boulos to the CEO role. If that was how painful the process was, the last thing we need is for the board to rush its CEO hire. Indeed, I would suggest that under the current board, the club will find it very difficult to actually recruit a high-level CEO, who will be very wary of coming in at a point of such instability and questions marks remaining over all directors.

So when you're in the fortunate position of having an experienced executive, who has proven himself in terms of turning around compliance, financial performance, governance and also investigating past misdemeanors there really shouldn't be any debate.

It would allow the club to move forward now. Not tomorrow, but now. You can't have an organisation like Parramatta essentially just running rudderless for an unknown period of time. You won't get to the table with the NRL to negotiate a better outcome. You won't sign sponsors. You'll even find it very difficult to bring on independent directors who could add much needed business experience to the board.

Like Matt, I truly urge the board to reconsider what's best for the club, right now. Let go of this paranoia as to who has control of what and what power they have. You have well-paid senior executives there who can start the re-building process. Just get on with it.

(I'll also add that a Group CEO could assist and accelerate structural separation, because it gives the Eels CEO a point of accountability and the Leagues Club some level of comfort that there is a review process).

P.S. All of this makes the arrogance inherent to Tanya Gadiel's response to Matt completely unacceptable. "Not on my watch". If she is REALLY talking about the Group CEO role, does she think she has superior business experience than someone like Nick Politis or Phil Gould who have embraced the Group CEO role. Really?