The GIANTS are delighted to appoint Alison Zell to the role of Executive General Manager - AFLW and Football Operations.
The experienced sports administrator joined the GIANTS in 2013 and has steadily risen through the ranks over 11 seasons to Executive General Manager - Media, Content and Corporate Affairs at the club.
Zell replaces Briana Harvey, who departed the club earlier this month.
GIANTS Chief Executive Officer David Matthews said it's an exciting announcement on the eve of the AFLW season.
"Alison is the ideal candidate for this role and she knows our club better than anyone else," said Matthews.
“We went through a thorough recruitment process with both external and internal candidates and Alison proved herself as the best choice for this key role at our club.
"She's a GIANTS person who's built strong relationships across our AFL and AFLW programs and I expect her to continue the evolution of our high-performance environments to be as connected and integrated as any across the competition.
"Alison's appointment also speaks to the strong culture we've built at the GIANTS. As a Sydney born and raised female who's loved our game all her life, we are delighted to be able to provide opportunities and pathways like this for the next generation of leaders of the AFL.
"Alison has played a pivotal role in building the GIANTS' industry-leading communications and social media team and I'm confident she'll help elevate both our men's and women's programs in this next phase."
GIANTS Executive General Manager of Football Jason McCartney echoed Mr Matthews’ comments.
“We are delighted to announce Alison as the new Executive General Manager of AFLW and Football Operations," said McCartney.
“Her extensive experience and innovative approach are exactly what we need to drive the AFLW program’s growth and strengthen operations.
“Alison’s leadership will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in shaping the future of both programs here at the club and we look forward to the positive impact she will bring to the football department in her new role."
The role will see Zell work closely with AFLW Head Coach Cam Bernasconi and run the day-to-day AFLW program while also supporting Jason McCartney and Adam Kingsley across the broader football program.
Zell said she was looking forward to the challenge.
“This is an exciting opportunity that I'm really looking forward to taking on,” said Zell.
"I've been fortunate to work closely with the wonderful leaders we have across the football department in recent years and I'm confident there are great things ahead for both our AFL and AFLW programs
"With our AFL team embarking on another finals series and our AFLW team hungry for success in season nine, I look forward to continuing to play a role in helping the GIANTS grow both on and off the field."
Zell will hold both roles until the completion of the GIANTS' AFL season before stepping into the football department full time next month.
