List Mgmt. Ben Amarfio - has resigned as our CEO - Thank you Ben

A recently-departed senior executive at Cricket Australia is favoured to be appointed the next chief executive of North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos are close to announcing their next chief executive, with Ben Amarfio - who was head of broadcasting, commercial operations and digital at Cricket Australia - likely to be appointed in what has been a surprise development.

AFL industry sources said Amarfio, who had worked at the AFL as a broadcast executive and also in a senior role at FM radio's Austereo, is the preferred candidate, ahead of former Richmond chief executive, AFL Coaches' Association boss and ex-North player and board member Mark Brayshaw.

Brayshaw had been viewed as a frontrunner for some time, having a strong relationship with North chairman Ben Buckley, but the board-appointed panel wanted a CEO with more commercial background than the football-experienced Brayshaw, who served alongside his brother James on the club board. He is also well-known and connected within the AFL community, with his three sons Angus, Andrew and Hamish playing at Melbourne, Fremantle and West Coast respectively.

North Melbourne's outgoing chief executive Carl Dilena was seen as strong in the financial arena, but less focused on football operations, where many of North's influential 1990s contingent wanted an overhaul - an outcome that has been seen with the exits of senior coach Brad Scott, football manager Cam Joyce and the imminent departure of list manager Mick McMahon. Club great Glenn Archer has presided over a series of changes, including the hiring of Rhyce Shaw and incoming football boss Brady Rawlings, to replace Joyce.

Amarfio, though, is clearly more experienced in the commercial realm than in football. A key executive under CA's long-serving chief executive James Sutherland, he was removed in November last year after Kevin Roberts took over as Sutherland's replacement.


 
E6C06A14-42CA-4464-B119-AFB1733A8F4A.jpeg
 
Mar 17, 2012
14,547
45,178
Caught in the web.
AFL Club
North Melbourne
From the article.

Brayshaw had been viewed as a frontrunner for some time, having a strong relationship with North chairman Ben Buckley, but the board-appointed panel wanted a CEO with more commercial background than the football-experienced Brayshaw.

Someone is not going to be happy.
 
Changes afoot. At the moment our club is in desperate need of oxygen, inspiration, new blood. As credentialed as Brayshaw is, and correct me if I'm wrong, there was the perception that his links to Arden St. weren't as strong as they once were. I tend to recall he was pro Gold Coast but again I could be making up furphies. Either way I don't know anything about Mr Amarfio however if he falls into line with Arch's (Ron Joseph's) blueprint for a bigger, stronger, more viable, iconic and successful North Melbourne then he's exactly what we need.

We need someone who understands the meaning of real growth without compromising our identity (i.e. Hobart) and most importantly someone with a voice to champion our club.
 

Rusty Buckets

Team Captain
Oct 11, 2019
311
534
AFL Club
North Melbourne
A recently-departed senior executive at Cricket Australia is favoured to be appointed the next chief executive of North Melbourne.

The Kangaroos are close to announcing their next chief executive, with Ben Amarfio - who was head of broadcasting, commercial operations and digital at Cricket Australia - likely to be appointed in what has been a surprise development.

AFL industry sources said Amarfio, who had worked at the AFL as a broadcast executive and also in a senior role at FM radio's Austereo, is the preferred candidate, ahead of former Richmond chief executive, AFL Coaches' Association boss and ex-North player and board member Mark Brayshaw.

Brayshaw had been viewed as a frontrunner for some time, having a strong relationship with North chairman Ben Buckley, but the board-appointed panel wanted a CEO with more commercial background than the football-experienced Brayshaw, who served alongside his brother James on the club board. He is also well-known and connected within the AFL community, with his three sons Angus, Andrew and Hamish playing at Melbourne, Fremantle and West Coast respectively.

North Melbourne's outgoing chief executive Carl Dilena was seen as strong in the financial arena, but less focused on football operations, where many of North's influential 1990s contingent wanted an overhaul - an outcome that has been seen with the exits of senior coach Brad Scott, football manager Cam Joyce and the imminent departure of list manager Mick McMahon. Club great Glenn Archer has presided over a series of changes, including the hiring of Rhyce Shaw and incoming football boss Brady Rawlings, to replace Joyce.

Amarfio, though, is clearly more experienced in the commercial realm than in football. A key executive under CA's long-serving chief executive James Sutherland, he was removed in November last year after Kevin Roberts took over as Sutherland's replacement.


Smells like an AFL appointment to me. The last bloke they foisted on us (Michael Easy) lasted all of two months. Maybe they have stumped up to pay Brad's final year. Five games on the map doesn't inspire a lot of confidence either.
 
Apr 24, 2013
81,024
153,170
Arden Street Hill
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Essendon Lawn Bowls Club
Changes afoot. At the moment our club is in desperate need of oxygen, inspiration, new blood. As credentialed as Brayshaw is, and correct me if I'm wrong, there was the perception that his links to Arden St. weren't as strong as they once were. I tend to recall he was pro Gold Coast but again I could be making up furphies. Either way I don't know anything about Mr Amarfio however if he falls into line with Arch's (Ron Joseph's) blueprint for a bigger, stronger, more viable, iconic and successful North Melbourne then he's exactly what we need.

We need someone who understands the meaning of real growth without compromising our identity (i.e. Hobart) and most importantly someone with a voice to champion our club.

The business aspect is okay, provided he rubber stamps what the football heads tell him.
 

big_e

Existential crisis management consultant
Apr 28, 2008
12,558
38,503
Back Pocket
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Wycombe Wanderers
Changes afoot. At the moment our club is in desperate need of oxygen, inspiration, new blood. As credentialed as Brayshaw is, and correct me if I'm wrong, there was the perception that his links to Arden St. weren't as strong as they once were. I tend to recall he was pro Gold Coast but again I could be making up furphies. Either way I don't know anything about Mr Amarfio however if he falls into line with Arch's (Ron Joseph's) blueprint for a bigger, stronger, more viable, iconic and successful North Melbourne then he's exactly what we need.

We need someone who understands the meaning of real growth without compromising our identity (i.e. Hobart) and most importantly someone with a voice to champion our club.
And I don't think the membera are getting a someone who will champion the club in the way we need it to be championed.

Under Funky Carl, the club has been extremely well-managed off-field. We've gone from one team to four, regularly been profitable and had an expansion of Arden St that has made it not just a training place, but an active football ground again.

The problem is that while all of that was going on, our core business - ie football - has been struggling. Yeah we almost made a grand final in 2015 but otherwise we're well behind the pack.

My argument is that a strong football focus is what is most important right now. Amarfio's CV reads well but it is all marketing and commercial-focused. He probably would have been a great choice seven or eight years ago.

But we've seen that in his time with CA, he was a senior figure in a decision that chose a minor improvement in $ despite it disenfranchising supporters. That's the sort of person we're probably getting. That apparent hiring speaks to a strategy that is all about making money, and winning games is secondary. And that's the wrong move.
 

Rusty Buckets

Team Captain
Oct 11, 2019
311
534
AFL Club
North Melbourne
And I don't think the membera are getting a someone who will champion the club in the way we need it to be championed.

Under Funky Carl, the club has been extremely well-managed off-field. We've gone from one team to four, regularly been profitable and had an expansion of Arden St that has made it not just a training place, but an active football ground again.

The problem is that while all of that was going on, our core business - ie football - has been struggling. Yeah we almost made a grand final in 2015 but otherwise we're well behind the pack.

My argument is that a strong football focus is what is most important right now. Amarfio's CV reads well but it is all marketing and commercial-focused. He probably would have been a great choice seven or eight years ago.

But we've seen that in his time with CA, he was a senior figure in a decision that chose a minor improvement in $ despite it disenfranchising supporters. That's the sort of person we're probably getting. That apparent hiring speaks to a strategy that is all about making money, and winning games is secondary. And that's the wrong move.
Shut up and cook me breakfast ... I mean buy a membership.
 

hilly

Brownlow Medallist
Nov 27, 2000
15,642
31,355
Frank Grey Smith Bar
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Triple M commentary team
If you're someone that's heavily involved in cricket at the highest level like I am, the name Ben Amarfio, would have you rocking backwards and forwards in the foetal position like it currently has me!

Can you elaborate?

On SM-G950F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Oct 9, 2003
44,592
42,222
Singapore / 30,000 feet
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Eagles (NFL), Suns (NBA)
Changes afoot. At the moment our club is in desperate need of oxygen, inspiration, new blood. As credentialed as Brayshaw is, and correct me if I'm wrong, there was the perception that his links to Arden St. weren't as strong as they once were. I tend to recall he was pro Gold Coast but again I could be making up furphies. Either way I don't know anything about Mr Amarfio however if he falls into line with Arch's (Ron Joseph's) blueprint for a bigger, stronger, more viable, iconic and successful North Melbourne then he's exactly what we need.

We need someone who understands the meaning of real growth without compromising our identity (i.e. Hobart) and most importantly someone with a voice to champion our club.
Correct. And I think that as a result he has since been basically persona non grata around the club.
 
Oct 9, 2003
44,592
42,222
Singapore / 30,000 feet
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Eagles (NFL), Suns (NBA)
Carl Dilena was seen as strong in the financial arena, but less focused on football operations
Well I don't think Amarfio is going to help solve that problem, he's doesn't football.

Not sure about this. I probably would have gone with Sticks. Better the devil you know and all that..
 

Orange Peanut

Norm Smith Medallist
Feb 6, 2013
7,151
33,962
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Changes afoot. At the moment our club is in desperate need of oxygen, inspiration, new blood. As credentialed as Brayshaw is, and correct me if I'm wrong, there was the perception that his links to Arden St. weren't as strong as they once were. I tend to recall he was pro Gold Coast but again I could be making up furphies. Either way I don't know anything about Mr Amarfio however if he falls into line with Arch's (Ron Joseph's) blueprint for a bigger, stronger, more viable, iconic and successful North Melbourne then he's exactly what we need.

We need someone who understands the meaning of real growth without compromising our identity (i.e. Hobart) and most importantly someone with a voice to champion our club.
Mark Brayshaw and Ron Joseph both expressed that the club might have no choice but to relocate early in the piece. However when push came to shove, they ended up being two of the key figures who supported standing up to the AFL.
 
Jun 9, 2001
37,642
145,026
Fogarty Street
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
St Johnstone
Mark Brayshaw and Ron Joseph both expressed that the club might have no choice but to relocate early in the piece. However when push came to shove, they ended up being two of the key figures who supported standing up to the AFL.

RJ was bluffing all along but Brayshaw was pro GC.
 

sbdan

Cancelled
Apr 26, 2005
2,514
3,769
FNQ
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Rooboys
If you're someone that's heavily involved in cricket at the highest level like I am, the name Ben Amarfio, would have you rocking backwards and forwards in the foetal position like it currently has me!


Rocking back and forth with excitement? Or dismay?
 
Hard to find anything positive about this bloke related to his former AFL and ACB career. If he is the chosen one I am hoping he can channel his strengths for good. We need a ballsy leader who can stand up for the club and maybe he can do that. I don't know - easy to be influenced by all the negative reports but lets see what he can deliver. Need a statement from him early re Tassy and Arden Street futures.
 
Back