THE Carlton Football Club can confirm that after 12 years on the Board and eight of those years as President, the tenure of Mark LoGiudice will conclude at the end of 2021.

With the guidance of the Independent Nominations Committee (INC), the Board has been in the process of succession planning and has unanimously elected current Director Luke Sayers as President-Elect, which was determined at a Board meeting on Monday night.

Luke Sayers is a well-regarded business leader and has been a Director of the Club since 2012.  He is the Executive Chairman of Sayers, a Melbourne based investment and advisory company, and prior to that the CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers for eight years. In 2019, Sayers was made a Member of the Order of Australia for his significant service to business, to people with a disability, and to the community.  

Season 2021 will see LoGiudice complete his service to the football club which spans over a decade, during which time the Club has experienced the most significant off-field resurgence in its 156-year history.

The Carlton Football Club is now debt free for the first time since 1996, is not a financially assisted club of the AFL, and has record membership and a full suite of sponsors delivered in the most challenging financial circumstances that the competition has ever faced.

In a further sign of the Club’s off-field position of strength, this week saw the completion of Stage 1 of the Ikon Park Masterplan redevelopment, which includes state-of-the-art AFL and AFLW changerooms, gym facilities and administration area.

This project, launched in 2018, has been driven by LoGiudice from the outset to ensure Ikon Park remains the home of the Carlton Football Club and the pre-eminent facility for the hosting of premium AFLW matches in Melbourne. 

These achievements are aligned with the Club’s strategic plan The Carlton Way, which was launched in 2019 as a way to clearly outline the Club’s targets to achieve success both on and off the field over the next five years.

LoGiudice has also been instrumental in establishing Carlton IN Business (CIB), capitalising on Carlton’s corporate support and growing CIB into one of the largest corporate networks on the Australian sporting landscape.

In addition, LoGiudice oversaw the Club earning an inaugural AFLW license in 2016, paving the way for an entirely new generation of footballers and supporters to join the Carlton family.

Blues CEO Cain Liddle acknowledged the significant contribution made by LoGiudice during the President’s tenure at the Club.

“Few would be aware of the enormous amount of time Mark has put into the Club during his Presidency. He has worked tirelessly to clear the Club’s historical debt and has also been instrumental in leading what has been the biggest infrastructure redevelopment ever to occur in the Club’s history.

“Importantly, we have a skills-based board with strong governance that remains committed to leading the direction and strategy of the Club. This is largely due to Mark’s commitment in ensuring investment is made in acquiring skills-based Directors for the successful execution of the Club’s clear and concise strategy, and this is clearly evidenced with the appointment of Luke Sayers into the President-Elect role.”

“I’d also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Mark’s family including his wife Eli and sons, Marcus, Sebastian and Anthony as well as his parents Ses and Nella for all their support over the years and on behalf of the entire football club, we thank them for their contribution to the Carlton family.”

LoGiudice said his position as President of the Carlton Football Club is one he will always value and now relinquishes full of confidence in the position the Club is in.

“My duties as President will continue for the remainder of the year, in which during this period I will commence an official handover to Luke.

“Our members have entrusted me as President of their football club over the last eight years, that is a responsibility I have never taken for granted and I thank each and every one of them for their support,” LoGiudice said.

“I always will be and am forever grateful for the privilege to serve the Club over the last 12 years.”

LoGiudice will officially cease his duties as President at the end of this year, with priority now on ensuring a smooth transition and completing certain tasks during this period including the reform of the Club Constitution as committed to members at the last AGM, as well as completing the Masterplan for Ikon Park.