Strategy CEO Thread - Jennifer Watt - Started Jan 2023

[Hop_lessly Devoted]

Love how it's Parker's number that Nick pulls out of the washer. "Now that's ChiQ"

 

[RightWingRoo]

Still trying to figure out how a commercial outcome isn't the direct responsibility of the chief executive of the football organisation given the direct criticism currently is that Watt isn't a 'footballing CEO'. So you would hope she would be executing on commercial outcomes, or at least putting the people/structures in place to do so. Literally the whole point.

FWIW, Jen had lined up network connections to support a huge marketing (and on-field) opportunity for North supported by the player's personal sponsors, for a recently retired (at the time) player to play under Clarko again if he was up to it (not Cyril). He wasn't, but like trade week, **** all of what goes on behind the scenes plays out in public for a very good reason. Media is the stage, the real work gets done in the green room

A recently retired player with a 4 figure career goal tally?

 

[GoRoos2023]

Still trying to figure out how a commercial outcome isn't the direct responsibility of the chief executive of the football organisation given the direct criticism currently is that Watt isn't a 'footballing CEO'. So you would hope she would be executing on commercial outcomes, or at least putting the people/structures in place to do so. Literally the whole point.

FWIW, Jen had lined up network connections to support a huge marketing (and on-field) opportunity for North supported by the player's personal sponsors, for a recently retired (at the time) player to play under Clarko again if he was up to it (not Cyril). He wasn't, but like trade week, **** all of what goes on behind the scenes plays out in public for a very good reason. Media is the stage, the real work gets done in the green room

Why not say the Hawks players name? How it revealing anything that would bother anyone?

 

[King Corey]

Little bit of Invisible Woman about Jennifer in terms of voice to the members

Football governance rolls up to her. Would be useful to hear from her one day.

 

[Teen Wolf]

She just dropped 'Tasmanian' from the AFLW team's name while doing a $900,000 deal with Tasmania.

 

[GoRoos2023]

She just dropped 'Tasmanian' from the AFLW team's name while doing a $900,000 deal with Tasmania.

Yep — managed to secure $900k out of Tassie over two years just for the girls to play a few games there.


We’ve effectively matched what we were getting for the men’s team for four games in Tassie, but achieved it with only two games in WA — meaning two extra home games for us.


Jen isn’t the club’s issue, and I’m honestly confused by the criticism she cops. Based on our off‑field performance relative to our on‑field results, she’s an 8/10.


If people want to point the finger at someone other than Clarko, taking shots at her is the wrong target. Clarko’s boss is Todd Viney — he’s the head of all things football.

 

[Val Keating]

She just dropped 'Tasmanian' from the AFLW team's name while doing a $900,000 deal with Tasmania.

That’s fantastic

 

[King Corey]

She just dropped 'Tasmanian' from the AFLW team's name while doing a $900,000 deal with Tasmania.

That's good. You're better briefed than me.

Post was about hearing from her though.

I'm not a North Melbourne director to know the CEO's professional views or achievements first hand.

 

[Woolly Mammoth]

Does the CEO of a football club have the autonomy to swing the axe an oust presidents and coaches?

 

[Nylex]

She just dropped 'Tasmanian' from the AFLW team's name while doing a $900,000 deal with Tasmania.

Covers Clarkos payout.. well played Jen

 

[Teen Wolf]

That's good. You're better briefed than me.

Post was about hearing from her though.

I'm not a North Melbourne director to know the CEO's professional views or achievements first hand.

There was an article on the website about it, there were photos, there were quotes.

A little while before that, there was an annual report released (again available on the club website for anybody to view). This is a document where the board of directors report on the performance of employed officials, for instance whether the CEO has just overseen a 14th consecutive profit, membership record and revenue increase of $5m.

 

[King Corey]

There was an article on the website about it, there were photos, there were quotes.

A little while before that, there was an annual report released (again available on the club website for anybody to view). This is a document where the board of directors report on the performance of employed officials, for instance whether the CEO has just overseen a 14th consecutive profit, membership record and revenue increase of $5m.

I'm aware of club news.

You're directly attributing certain club achievements to the CEO, rightly or wrongly. I assume the AFL program failings also fall within the CEO remit yes?

When.Amarfio was CEO nobody seemed to have issue pinning all manner of club failings on him.

My point again though, is about hearing directly from the CEO from time to time. We might have the greatest CEO in history, that's a different topic.

 

[Luke72]

I'm aware of club news.

You're directly attributing certain club achievements to the CEO, rightly or wrongly. I assume the AFL program failings also fall within the CEO remit yes?

When.Amarfio was CEO nobody seemed to have issue pinning all manner of club failings on him.

My point again though, is about hearing directly from the CEO from time to time. We might have the greatest CEO in history, that's a different topic.

For all his faults I would see Ben Amarfio at games all the time and he would always stop and have a chat.

 

[Chadwiko]

For all his faults I would see Ben Amarfio at games all the time and he would always stop and have a chat.

Amarfio copped a lot more criticism than he deserved.

 

[muttley45]

Seems to be pretty good at getting new sponsors on board at least, quite a few newies gained during her tenure, and well done on the Tassie outcome too.

 

[Teen Wolf]

I'm aware of club news.

You're directly attributing certain club achievements to the CEO, rightly or wrongly. I assume the AFL program failings also fall within the CEO remit yes?

When.Amarfio was CEO nobody seemed to have issue pinning all manner of club failings on him.

My point again though, is about hearing directly from the CEO from time to time. We might have the greatest CEO in history, that's a different topic.

Yeah there's misdirecting blame and then there's just making shit up.

In the past few months, the supposedly invisible CEO has communicated publicly on different occasions about the Tasmania deal, the financial results, Arden Station, 13Cabs sponsorship, Kookaburra sponsorship, and has also been accessible at recurring club events like the AGM and post-season functions.

 

[King Corey]

Yeah there's misdirecting blame and then there's just making shit up.

In the past few months, the supposedly invisible CEO has communicated publicly on different occasions about the Tasmania deal, the financial results, Arden Station, 13Cabs sponsorship, Kookaburra sponsorship, and has also been accessible at recurring club events like the AGM and post-season functions.

You seem to be taking this in a defensive direction so I'm inclined to disengage but one last swing.

A CEO personal update to members is different to a club announcement about procuring a sponsorship.

Go read Sonja's mails to the membership base. I don't think a similar update from the CEO would go astray especially when the football program has been rancid, though I notice you don't ever link that back to the current CEO's remit.



Well there you go. It is possible to do just that and the world doesn't collapse.

 

[kanga kanga kanga]

Idc about off field performance, i care about on field.

 

[Teen Wolf]

You seem to be taking this in a defensive direction so I'm inclined to disengage but one last swing.

A CEO personal update to members is different to a club announcement about procuring a sponsorship.

Go read Sonja's mails to the membership base. I don't think a similar update from the CEO would go astray especially when the football program has been rancid, though I notice you don't ever link that back to the current CEO's remit.

View attachment 2535760

Well there you go. It is possible to do just that and the world doesn't collapse.

I'd like the thread about Jen Watt to go in the direction of assessing her performance as CEO based on the main thing she was hired for.

But if you want to take the thread in a "poor Ben Amarfio" direction, or a "let's copy the 21st century juggernaut that is Carlton" direction, indeed the world still won't collapse.

 

[King Corey]

I'd like the thread about Jen Watt to go in the direction of assessing her performance as CEO based on the main thing she was hired for.

But if you want to take the thread in a "poor Ben Amarfio" direction, or a "let's copy the 21st century juggernaut that is Carlton" direction, indeed the world still won't collapse.

Ok again you're commenting on other things.

Let's leave it there. Thanks for the chat.

 

[RightWingRoo]

Little doubt Jen's a good commercial CEO. But she'll have to make some calls on the footy side of things sooner or later, that will make or break her tenure.

 

[Chadwiko]

I think the way the club and Jennifer herself handled some membership changes two years ago was incredibly poor and was a huge red flag.

However, equally true is that during her time as CEO we have navigated leaving Tasmania for an advantageous WA deal that has resulted in two extra Melbourne home games for our members.

Sponsorship has been fine. Took an unusually long time to lock in a shorts partner, and we now have more minor sponsors than premium singular/marquee sponsors. But to be fair, a big factor in that is tied to the Tasmanian transition and the Spirit of Tasmania factor.

So, after a rough start in her first 12~ months, I think Jennifer is trending in the right direction.

 

[Luke72]

I agree with King Corey in that it would be nice if there was some direct communication with members. Maybe it’s not part of her role, maybe she doesn’t like the idea, maybe she’s been not to. Whatever the reason I think it wove beneficial to dip the toe in media street.

 

[desie]

Yep — managed to secure $900k out of Tassie over two years just for the girls to play a few games there.


We’ve effectively matched what we were getting for the men’s team for four games in Tassie, but achieved it with only two games in WA — meaning two extra home games for us.


Jen isn’t the club’s issue, and I’m honestly confused by the criticism she cops. Based on our off‑field performance relative to our on‑field results, she’s an 8/10.


If people want to point the finger at someone other than Clarko, taking shots at her is the wrong target. Clarko’s boss is Todd Viney — he’s the head of all things football.

And Todd Viney’s boss is Jen Watt, she’s the head of all things full stop.

The CEO doesn’t get to pick and choose their accountabilities.

 

[perplexed]

Idc about off field performance, i care about on field.

This is the case for most of us. However, from the outside, when you look at the executive everyone there seems to performing capably, or incredibly well in the case of Erin Lorenzini. The only clear exception is Todd Viney, and it is a big one. It is the only thing we really care about. As GM of football, Viney is responsible for both Rawlings and Clarkson, and all three seem to be way out of their depth. Todd should be the executive in the crosshairs first.