AFL CHIEF Executive Gillon McLachlan has announced that Ray Gunston will be starting at the AFL in July as General Manager, Finance, Corporate and Major Projects.

“This is a fantastic appointment for the AFL. In Ray we get a senior corporate leader and someone who has a great connection to, and knowledge of our industry. I am delighted that Ray has agreed to work for the AFL,” Mr McLachlan said.

Ray has had extensive experience as a senior executive and a company director in a variety of industries and is well known to football through his time as Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Essendon Football Club and before that as Chief Financial Officer of the Tatts Group.

In addition to the Tatts Group, Ray has had executive roles with Westpac, Price Waterhouse, Aluminum Smelters of Victoria, Southern Cross Austereo and the Victorian Government. He is a non-executive director of Sigma Pharmaceuticals and Hotel Property Investments. Ray has also previously held non-executive director roles with AFL Victoria and the Melbourne Renegades.

Ray played a leading role in the transformation of the privately owned Tattersall’s into the publicly listed Tatts Group as an ASX 100 listed national and global company, followed by initiating and implementing the $4 billion merger of Tatts and UNITAB. He also played a lead executive role in acquisitions for the Tatts Group.

Mr Gunston said: “I am looking forward to working with Gillon and all within the AFL, at the Clubs, and across the broader football industry, to ensure that the sport is properly structured and managed so that we continue to grow and develop into the future.”