The West Coast Eagles have anointed Alcoa of Australia’s Managing Director  and dual Swan Districts premiership player Alan Cransberg as its next Chairman.

Mr Cransberg will take over the duties of Chairman from Mark Barnaba on October 31.
  
Mr Barnaba has done an outstanding job in his three-year term, taking over the reins at a tumultuous time when the club was under investigation by the AFL as a result of the off-field behaviour of several senior players.

He helped to pilot the club to point where the West Coast Eagles is now an AFL leader in cultural, core values player welfare issues.

While the club is going through some on-field difficulties, Mr Barnaba, a director for 11 years, said he was content in the knowledge that he leaves the club in good shape. Mr Barnaba is vacating the chair according to the expiration of his term as governed by the constitution of the club, which was known the day he commenced at the helm.

"I have no doubt that the club will deliver on-field success," Mr Barnaba said. "I think we’re very fortunate to have the board we have more generally, but more particularly have somebody of the character and capability of Alan to take over.
 
“Clearly we have a lot of work to do to meet our on-field targets of pushing up the ladder. But we have the right people in place to achieve that objective and they are working extremely hard to reverse the trend. Hopefully that starts against the Adelaide Crows.
 
"You can think you need to change a player or the coach, but it’s never that simple and we believe we’re on the right path. I’m obviously not suggesting a premiership is around the corner but material improvement certainly is.

“We have strong membership and corporate support which is the envy of most other clubs in the competition. That gives us the sound financial position required to push forward and everyone at the club is absolutely committed to carrying us back up the table.

“The results of that work are not yet being seen, but they will.”

Mr Cransberg, who played in premiership teams with Swan Districts in 1982 and 1983, is now the Managing Director  of Alcoa Australia.

Mr Cransberg began his connection with Alcoa in Western Australia after graduating from the University of Western Australia with an honours degree in Civil Engineering. He worked with Alcoa Bauxite Mining Group and the West Australian alumina refining system in various engineering, business analysis, planning and managerial positions from 1981-1997.

He was appointed Pinjarra Alumina Refinery location manager in 1998 and in 2001 moved to the US as location manager of Alcoa’s Texas alumina and chemicals complex. In the seven years he spent in the USA, he took positions of increasing accountability ending his USA assignment based in the New York Head Office, where he was accountable for co-ordinating Alcoa’s Global Manufacturing in the areas of mining, refining and smelting. He was made a Vice President of Alcoa Inc in 2006. He returned to Western Australia in early 2008 and has served on the West Coast Eagles board for the past two years.

Director Chris Cronin will become Deput Chairman and under the club’s constitution Mr Cronin must retire at the end of next season and a new deputy Chairman will be announced.  

"I’m very appreciative of the opportunity, but similarly I’m confident that we can take the club back to where it belongs,” Mr Cransberg said. “That’s what our members expect us to do and we’ll make whatever changes we have to, to make sure we get there.

"There is enormous unity at board,  executive level and within  the coaching staff. While there is a  very firm strategy, I will continue to engender  constructive tension as I want challenge and debate within the club.

"This is a well-planned transition and we’ll build confidence in our people through our words and more importantly, our actions.
 
"We understand that, having won a flag four years ago, you go through cycles - it’s the nature of the system.

"What differentiates a club is how quickly you get out of that cycle. I think Woosh is just an outstanding leader for some of the younger players coming through, given his experience.
 
"People in this football club understand the highs and want more success. We know there is a lot of hard work to create that success and I look forward to helping this outstanding club continue to succeed on and off the field.

"Our members understand there is a lot of focus to improve on field performance and we will continue to invest in the younger players and develop them.”