Collingwood FC confirms new Club President

After an unsettled 12 months of membership of its board, Collingwood FC has advised of the appointment of David Browne as new President.

Elected in a unanimous vote at a board meeting in Melbourne last Friday, Browne, a former Managing Director at the Nine Network, becomes the Club’s 14th President and its third in the last year.

Confirmed after the Magpies AGM on Thursday, existing Directors Jodie Sizer and Paul Licuria will serve as Vice-Presidents will Barry Carp and Renee Roberts were also elected from the 11 candidates and Christine Holgate was re-elected, joining Sizer, Licuria and outgoing President Mark Korda on the Club’s board.

Browne has served the AFL as its external lawyer for 22 years, creating the competition agreements for all clubs, the racial vilification policy, the players’ collective bargaining agreements, media rights agreements and rules for the salary cap and national draft.

In addition to his time at the Nine Network, Browne is currently Chairman of the Walkinshaw Automotive Group and Chairman of ASX listed investment bank MA Financial Group.

He faces a series of challenges at the Club as it looks to rebound from a disastrous 2021 season that cost coach Nathan Buckley his job.

Behind the scenes, Browne faces a showdown with the AFL over cuts to the football department soft cap and annual financial distribution to clubs.

The AFL has reduced its minimum distribution to clubs from $10 million to $8 million, with the wealthy Magpies, Hawthorn, Richmond and West Coast to receive the bare minimum amount.

At Thursday night's AGM, Korda criticised the league over the move, which will cost Collingwood $2 million a year, stating “we are bitterly disappointed in that and Mark Anderson and I strenuously argued it was unfair.

"We are bitterly disappointed that the faster we run and the faster we cycle, the quicker the AFL takes it from us."

Image: David Browne. Credit: Collingwood FC.