INAUGURAL Gold Coast chairman John Witheriff will step down from his role after round one next season.
Witheriff will be replaced by Suns board member and former V8 Supercars boss Tony Cochrane.
Cochrane has an impeccable resume, having promoted sporting events, concerts, live shows, theatre and one-off events.
Perhaps his greatest acclaim in Australia, though, is transforming the V8s into a nationally and globally recognised sport before stepping aside in 2012.
In Witheriff, Cochrane will take over from a man who helped Gold Coast get its AFL licence and, ultimately, a place in the expanded 18-team competition.
In a letter to members on Tuesday, Witheriff said he would stay on until round one in 2016 to oversee an orderly transition, and would remain on the board for the rest of that year.
He said with CEO Andrew Travis now more than 12 months into his tenure, the Suns' administration was in good hands.
"There will be time enough next year to reflect on the achievements of the Suns but I am proud of what the Gold Coast community has done for our club – and just as proud of what the club has done for the Gold Coast community and for the AFL," Witheriff said.
"It is not yet time to say goodbye, I will do that next year, but I wanted to ensure that our supporters, our members, our corporate partners, our community partners and our government and media representatives were informed of the plans and also the board and administration's commitment to just getting on with the job as we transition the board leadership."
