HCV Annual Dinner
Thursday 13th October 2016
The Council of the Harvard Club of Victoria, is delighted to invite you and your guests to the club's annual dinner in support of the Non-Profit Fellowship, immediately after the Annual General Meeting, on Thursday 13th of October.
This year, we are celebrating AFL football and are pleased to announce our guest speakers are Brian Cook, CEO of Geelong Football Club and Colin Carter, Chairman of Geelong Football Club. As leaders in both the AFL and the broader community, not to mention highly respected Harvard Club members, their insights into the history, culture and business of football and their relationship to Victorian life and business will be invaluable.
Colin Carter AM - Geelong FC Director 1987-1993 and since 2008, President since 2011
Originally from Perth, Colin has been a supporter since Polly Farmer came to Geelong. He first joined the Cats board in 1988 but retired in 1993 on appointment to the AFL Commission. He served on the Commission until 2008 when he re-joined the Cats board and was appointed President in 2011.
Colin’s career was as a management consultant with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG). He retired in 2001 but is still an Adviser to BCG and to other organisations on 'governance' issues. He has written a book on 'governance' published by Harvard University in 2003. He is currently a director of two public companies – SEEK and Lend Lease - and is a director of World Vision. Until recently, he was a director of Wesfarmers and also of the Ladder Project which is the AFL Players’ Association's project to combat youth homelessness. For the past 20 years he has been involved with a number of Indigenous organizations across Australia.
Brian Cook - Geelong FC Chief Executive Officer since 1999 and Director since 2009
Brian Cook is one of Australia’s most respected Sporting Administrators, currently the Geelong Football Club Chief Executive. Brian has overhauled the clubs business operations, overseen a dramatic transformation in finances and produced record breaking “on field” results. Under Brian’s management the Geelong Football Club cleared its 1999 interest bearing debt of $7 million and has been responsible for a raft of new initiatives including stages 1 to 4 redevelopments of Simonds Stadium at a total cost of $200m. In 2007 Geelong won the AFL Premiership by a record margin of 119 points after finishing the Home and Away season three games clear of second position Port Adelaide. In 2009 Geelong won the pre-season NAB Cup followed up by winning the AFL Premiership by defeating St Kilda by 12 points. Finally in 2011 Geelong won its 3rd premiership in 5 years beating Collingwood.
Prior to his current role Brian was the CEO of the West Coast Eagles based in Perth. The AFL has a structure designed to bring about equalisation of results amongst all 18 clubs, whereas the 2 clubs under Cook’s leadership have recorded 6 premierships in 23 years. This is an outstanding result with 26% of premierships to one CEO, at 2 clubs. Brian brought an approach based upon values, personal responsibilities and behaviours to the Geelong Football Club, moving the club from perennial “runners up” to a good club with aspirations to long term greatness.
Relevant honours to Brian have been the awarding of AFL Life Membership (2007), Geelong Football Club Life Membership in 2008, the Eunice Gill Award for Services to Coaching at a National level (1994); Australian Sports Medal, an award from the Prime Minister for Services to Sport (2000). Brian was also awarded the “Australian Sports Executive of 2007” by the Confederation of Australian Sport in February 2008. Brian has a M.Ed. (Masters of Education) and B.Ed. (Bachelor of Education) and more recently (in 2013) he completed a 2 months Advanced Management Program at
Harvard University, Boston, USA.
Brian is also Patron of “Wombat’s Wish” an organisation established to support bereaved children who lose a parent; Chair of Geelong Cats Foundation; Director, Barwon Health Future Fund; Victorian Visitor Reference Group; External representative, and External representative, Geelong Major Events Committee. In the past 10 consecutive years Brian has also completed solo Rottnest Channel 20 km swim from Cottesloe to Rottnest Island.
We will also hear from 2016 HCV Fellow Lisa Griffiths, CEO of the Oz Child. Lisa will share her experiences at Harvard and that of the other recipients Antoinette Braybrook of Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention & Legal Service Victoria and Nigel Fidgeon from Merri Health.
As the main fundraising event on the Club's social calendar, the evening's program will conclude with an exciting auction and raffle. All funds raised support the Club's Non-Profit Fellowship.
Catch up with old friends and meet new members of the Harvard community at the Club’s biggest event of the year. It is a warm and welcoming event, with alums attending from almost every school of the University.
Date: Thursday 13th October 2016
Venue: Etihad Stadium, 740 Bourke St Docklands
Time: AGM 6:30pm, Dinner 6.45pm for 7:15pm
Bookings: Tickets to the Dinner cost $160 for HCV members and their guests (please note that you must be logged into the HCV website to purchase). Non-members $180. Click here to buy tickets!!! There is no charge or RSVP required for the AGM component of the evening which is open to all club financial members.
Enquiries: Mandy Croker, mandy@harvardclubofvictoria.org.au or 0414 582 860
RSVP: Thursday 6th October 2016
Please Note: If you are organising a whole table or part of a table with people who will be booking separately, please send the names of all the parties to Mandy Croker, email address above, to ensure that you are seated together.