Greater Western Sydney GIANTS Chairman Tony Shepherd announced today that Chief Executive David Matthews has signed a contract extension to stay in the role until the end of 2018.
Matthews assumed the role as GIANTS Chief Executive Officer in November 2011 following more than a decade at AFL House a member of the AFL executive.
As CEO, Mr Matthews has successfully overseen the GIANTS’ entry into the AFL competition, the opening of Spotless Stadium at the Sydney Showgrounds and the development of a $12 million training and administration facility at Sydney Olympic Park.
The announcement caps off what has been the GIANTS' most successful season to date with the club enjoying record growth both on and off the field.
2015 saw the club record 11 wins - more than the total number of wins across the previous three seasons - re-sign a slew of young stars, set a new membership record, enjoy a 17% increase in home attendances - including the first ever sell out at StarTrack Oval in Canberra - and expand its stable of commercial partners to include a number of blue-chip and emerging brands such as Virgin Australia, Spotjobs.com, Dyldam, LendLease, Spotless, StarTrack, Oxanda Education and Hope Estate.
GIANTS Chairman Tony Shepherd said his board had no hesitation in re-signing Mr Matthews.
“David has done a fantastic job leading this club and we’re pleased that he’s agreed to a multi-year contract extension,” Mr Shepherd said.
“He has overseen significant ongoing growth since joining the club, culminating in our strongest season ever this year, both on and off the field.
“We are in the most competitive sporting market in the country and to have someone of David's acumen in the position of Chief Executive is crucial as we continue to grow the club, and the game more broadly, in Western Sydney, Canberra and the surrounding areas.
“Under David's leadership, the GIANTS are in a strong position commercially and our extensive community engagement portfolio continues to expand, as evidenced by the introduction of the successful GIANTS Care program this year.
"David has also played a leading role in developing a strong culture at our club, which has seen us install a hugely successful player retention strategy in addition to regularly attracting quality staff to our club.
"This year has been a significant one for the club having surpassed every major KPI during the course of the season. We look forward to building on the success of this year with a view to further growth in 2016."
Mr Matthews said he was looking forward to continuing his tenure as GIANTS CEO and guiding the club through the next phase of growth.
“We're entering a really exciting time as a club so naturally I'm delighted to continue in the role of CEO,” said Matthews.
"This year has already been a big one for the club with significant growth in membership, attendance, on-field performance and community engagement.
“With a young and committed playing group, strong corporate support and a passionate fan base, we’ve quickly become an important part of the community in Western Sydney and Canberra.
“With the leadership of a strong and stable board led by Tony Shepherd, we've built a terrific culture at the GIANTS. There is still much to be done in terms of growing the club and growing the game in Western Sydney, but we believe we have the key pillars in place to achieve some significant results in both the short and long term."
In addition to his role as GIANTS CEO, Mr Matthews is also involved in a range of community initiatives including his position as a member of the Elite Sport Male Champions of Change program and Vice-President of the Western Sydney Business Chamber.
