Melbourne Victory Appoint Ian Robson as CEO

July 11, 2013

A-League club Melbourne Victory has appointed Ian Robson as their new chief executive.

Robson, who resigned as Essendon boss in the wake of the supplements scandal and the damning internal report into the club’s governance which followed, has replaced the departing Richard Wilson and will start his new role in early August.

Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro said Robson had emerged as the preferred candidate after a thorough search.

He is understood to have trumped the Victory’s general manager of operations Trent Jacobs for the role.

“Ian brings a great enthusiasm for the role of sport in the community, as well as experience at the CEO level in elite sport, and will be a valuable asset to the club as we look to build on the solid foundations laid over the past 18 months,” Di Pietro said in a statement.

“We have been through a thorough process, engaging with a number of parties, giving us complete confidence that Ian is both suitable and extremely well qualified for the role.”

Robson resigned in May as Essendon chief after a damning internal report found serious governance issues at the Bombers in 2012.

The club’s supplements program that season is currently under investigation by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) and the AFL.

That probe is likely to be completed in August.

Robson is scheduled to start his new job on August 5.

Before working at Essendon, Robson had built a strong track record in sports administration, including at previous AFL employer Hawthorn.

He has also worked for NRL club the Warriors.

Robson expressed his delight at his appointment: “Melbourne Victory is a really exciting club in what is an extremely competitive sporting landscape, so I was immediately interested in exploring the possibility of a new challenge,” he said.

“Having spent many years working across other codes, I feel privileged now to have the opportunity to be involved in the world game with a great club like Melbourne Victory.”