Essendon Football Club today congratulated chief operating officer Travis Auld on his appointment as the inaugural CEO of the Gold Coast Football Club.

Auld has spent the past 10 years with Essendon Football Club in a variety of roles that have seen him oversee finance, football, associated venue operations, precinct management and elements of marketing.

Auld will finish with Essendon in early June to assume his role as the Gold Coast CEO.

“It is never easy to leave a Club like Essendon but the challenge of setting up a new AFL franchise was one I could not pass up. It is a great opportunity for me personally but more importantly for the Gold Coast community and the AFL competition as a whole,” Auld said.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Essendon and have worked with some outstanding people. It is one of the great sporting clubs in this country and I think they are entering a new exciting phase in their history.”

Essendon managing director, Peter Jackson, said the opportunity on the Gold Coast was a fantastic one for Auld.

“I have no doubt Travis has the capacity to take on what is a challenging and exciting role and we wish him all the best,” Jackson said.
 
“It has given me great pleasure to watch him develop during his time at the club.”
 
Essendon chairman Ray Horsburgh wished Auld well in his new role.
 
“While we are disappointed to lose Travis it is a credit to the standard of management at the Essendon Football Club that one of our own was so keenly sought after for this position,” Horsburgh said.