Essendon Football Club is pleased to announce the appointment of a new director, with Dorothy Hisgrove joining the Board of Directors.
Subject to receiving the necessary approval from the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation, Hisgrove will fill the Board position left vacant by Lindsay Tanner, who retired at the 2020 Annual General Meeting.
Hisgrove is a commercially astute, strategic leader with outstanding credentials in the area of people and culture.
Her most recent role was as a partner responsible for People and Workforce Strategy PwC Australia.
Hisgrove also has vast experience across marketing, customer and community for the AFL, Australia Post, NAB and BHP.
Essendon President Paul Brasher welcomed the appointment of Hisgrove.
“I stated at the AGM late last year that the Board was going to take its time in filling the last vacant director position. I am now pleased to say that after a thorough process, where we canvassed a wide variety of candidates, Dorothy was a clear standout and we are thrilled to have her at the club as a director,” Brasher said.
“She is a high calibre leader who brings to the Board a wealth of experience in a range of areas important to our people, our fans and to our strategic objectives, with a particular skillset in cultural and people development.
“Recently, there has been external discussion regarding the support of teams from AFL directors. For the sake of clarity and transparency, Dorothy was open from the very beginning in the process that she has previously supported Collingwood. We have no issue with this. In fact, the Board views this as a potential advantage, as Dorothy will bring a diversity of perspective different to those of the other Board members, all of whom have been lifelong, passionate Essendon supporters. What Dorothy will have in common with her fellow Board members is a total commitment to Essendon success."
The club’s Constitution states that a director must be a member of the club to join the Board, and Hisgrove satisfies this clause.
Hisgrove said she was thrilled to be joining the red and black.
‘’Being part of a board with a strong governance focus and quality people was an important factor in joining the club,” Hisgrove said.
"I believe we are poised for significant growth and I am excited about playing my role and helping the club achieve its strategic agenda. A critical element of that agenda is the club’s continuous focus on areas of people and culture, and I look forward to bringing my experience in these areas to the Board and to acting as a sounding board to (general manager of people and culture) Lisa Lawry and the other members of the executive team when appropriate.
‘’In my previous role at the AFL, I established a genuine connection with the club at a grassroots level, building the AFL’s multicultural and Indigenous pipeline programs.
‘’I look forward to supporting the broader diversity and strategy pillars at the club, in particular AFLW, and adding value in my other areas of expertise across fan engagement, marketing and with our vast array of meaningful community programs.”
