Brian Cook will today finalise his handover with Graham Wright as Carlton’s Chief Executive Officer.
Since last October the highly credentialed and experienced duo have been working closely through a detailed leadership succession at IKON Park.
This succession plan has seen Wright - one of the best football administrators in the country - succeed Cook, who is in his final year of a distinguished career, spanning across four decades as an AFL club CEO.
“Having two of the game’s most highly credentialed football people complete such a thorough, detailed and collaborative handover, it puts our Club in a position to attack this next period we are about to enter,” Carlton President Rob Priestley said.
“Brian and Graham have been outstanding in how they have worked alongside one another throughout this year, which will allow Graham to hit the ground running across all areas of the football club.
“We would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Brian for his mature, stable and level-headed leadership, and making such a tremendous contribution to the Carlton Football Club over the last four years.
“His knowledge and experience are second to none. His values as a leader and as a person go without saying, and are a large reason why he departs our game as such a highly respected sporting administrator in this country.”
“As Brian said back in October at the time we announced the transition – ‘I know I will not be here forever, but I will work like I will be’. That says everything about Brian as a person and how much he cares about ensuring this club is given the foundation from which it can launch from in the years ahead.
“We wish Brian, his wife Claire and his family all the very best and thank him greatly for what he has brought to our football club.”
Cook arrived at IKON Park at the end of 2021 with the focus to engrain level-headed leadership and a values-led approach to the Carlton Football Club.
He joined the Blues following 22 years as Geelong CEO, transforming Kardinia Park significantly on and off the field.
This proceeded his contribution to the establishment of the West Coast Eagles, as their CEO from 1990.
In Cook’s three full years as Carlton CEO, the Blues played in back-to-back finals series following a previous 10-year absence, which included a first preliminary final appearance since 2000 – a year that coincided with the Blues’ surpassing 100,000 members for the first time in the Club’s history.
He has also solidified the Club’s strong financial position, which most recently has seen the creation of an entirely new revenue stream courtesy of a state-of-the-art Imaging Centre at IKON Park. Cook was also instrumental in the development of the Club’s first, inclusion, diversity, equality and belonging plan – Belong Together.
He fostered the continued growth and expansion of the Carlton Respects program into primary schools, working hard to continue to promote gender equality for the prevention of violence against women.
Furthermore, through his leadership, the Club has expanded IKON Park to now be one of the most elite training facilities in the country – providing AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW players with a high-performance environment that is now a genuine competitive advantage.
In June of this year, Cook was recognised for his significant service to business, to the community and to Australian rules football by being awarded of Member of the Order of Australia (AM).
“My purpose has been 'to do well, to do good, and to do right' in life, and I’m proud of the organisations I’ve worked at that foster this philosophy over time,” said Cook.
“Carlton is a special club, full of passion, full of pride – the DNA of this club is unique to any other. To blend that now with the foundations we have built, I am excited to see what this club can achieve together.
“This game has been so good to me for so long: the life experiences, lifelong friends, the connections you make - they are what I will cherish most. I am so grateful to each and every person who has helped me along my journey.”
Incoming Blues CEO Graham Wright said the opportunity to work alongside Cook in 2025 has been invaluable.
“I am incredibly fortunate to have spent the entirety of this year working closely with Brian,” Wright said.
“His time, his care, his knowledge and most importantly now his friendship, I am grateful for it all.
“Brian has ensured our football club has a strong foundation, which is no surprise, given the lasting impact he has made on not only Carlton, but at Geelong, at West Coast and throughout the AFL industry as a whole.”
