Rebecca Haagsma to leave Nine Entertainment for new role with AFL

AFL Chief Executive, Andrew Dillon has today announced Rebecca Haagsma as AFL’s new Executive General Manager Customer and Commercial.

Haagsma is currently the Chief Product and Technology Officer at Nine Entertainment and will commence at the AFL in February 2025, after relocating from Sydney to Melbourne with her husband Paul.

As a member of the AFL Executive and in her role as EGM Customer and Commercial, Haagsma will oversee the AFL’s commercial partnerships, events, consumer products, fan engagement and growth, AFL digital and the management of the AFL’s broadcast relationship across Fox, Seven, News Corp and radio partners.

Haagsma is an accomplished senior executive with over 20 years’ experience leading teams in the media and telecommunications industries. In her 2.5 years at Nine she led the digital transformation of their media assets and, most recently, led the 2024 Paris Olympics team effort across all of Nine’s digital offering.

Prior to working at Nine, Haagsma worked at Telstra for seven years in a number of senior executive roles, leading Global Strategic Partnerships, the Devices Portfolio, and the telco's Media interests across sports and entertainment rights and streaming products, including the creation and operation of the AFL Live app.  

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon noted “we are extremely fortunate to have Bec join our team in this role. She brings deep expertise across commercial, media, digital and product development and this unique skillset will play an important role in shaping our future direction and engagement with fans.”

Haagsma said the AFL role was an opportunity 20 years in the making and added “the game of footy has always been a part of my life, and the opportunity to work with the AFL, its clubs, corporate partners and wider stakeholders, and the fans above all, is a dream role for me.  

“I’m looking forward to bringing years of commercial and relationship experience and leadership along with a deep expertise in transformation and being able to match it with my love for Australia’s game.

“I can’t wait to join Andrew’s leadership team and am looking forward to heading up an exceptional consumer and commercial function, so we can drive the next period of growth for the AFL.”

AFL Executive accountability for Marvel Stadium will continue with Matthew Chun, who has been in the caretaker position since August 2024.