After 15 years as CEO of Richmond Football Club, Brendon Gale today announced that 2024 will be his final year in the role.

Gale has had a profound impact on the Club, on and off the field, for the best part of three decades.

He played 244 games over 12 years between 1990 and 2001, before taking over as CEO in late 2009. His leadership was pivotal to a period of on-field success and financial stability.

Gale said it just felt like the time was right to step away.

“I have spent half my life at this Club as an administrator and player. It is time for me to embark on a new challenge, and for the Club to write the next chapter,” he said.

07:45

“I’ll remain absolutely focused on the job at hand for the coming months. It is an exciting and challenging period for us on and off the field.

“The breadth and depth of our leadership is a real feature of our club, and we are all getting on with the job at hand and that is where my energies will be focused.”

Richmond president John O’Rourke said Gale had made an enormous contribution to the Club.

“Brendon has been an outstanding leader of our football club and will continue to play that role in the coming months,” O’Rourke said.

“He has kept the board informed as he has worked through this decision, wanting to ensure a smooth transition.

“There will be a time and a place for all of us to get together and properly pay tribute to the remarkable contribution Brendon has made to this Club.

“We have appointed recruiting firm Transearch International Australia to assist us in finding the Club’s next CEO. It will be a thorough and well considered process and Brendon’s openness around this decision has ensured it does not need to be rushed.”