Essendon Football Club is pleased to confirm Paul Brasher will succeed Lindsay Tanner as President when Tanner formally hands over the reins later this year. 

The Essendon Board agreed to the proposed succession at its recent meeting in July.

Paul has served on the Essendon Football Club Board for the last eight years. He is currently Vice-President and Finance Director, and is Chair of the Audit, Risk and Integrity Committee. 

Brasher was a partner at accounting and professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), during which time he chaired the Australian firm and was chairman of the global board of PwC.  

Tanner, who announced his intention to stand down as Essendon President at the club’s Annual General Meeting in December last year, congratulated Brasher on his nomination as Essendon Football Club President. 

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I wish to congratulate Paul on his appointment as future President,” Tanner said. 

“Paul is a man of outstanding character and integrity and the football club will be in terrific shape with him at the helm. As Finance Director, Paul has played a pivotal role in ensuring the financial stability of the club and has made a significant contribution to the Board during a challenging period.   

“Personally, it has been a true honour to lead the Essendon Football Club and a privilege I will reflect on for many years to come. After five years as President, the time is nigh to hand over the reins.”

Brasher said it was a privilege to be named President-in-waiting. 

“I am delighted to be named President-in-waiting of the Essendon Football Club,” Brasher said. 

“Firstly, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge and thank Lindsay for his leadership as President since 2015. His guidance and direction has ensured crucial stability for our football club.

“I am very proud to be representing our members as President of this great club, and I look forward to continuing to build on the strong foundations that have been put in place over recent years, both on and off the field, for our football club into the future.”

Brasher has previously been chairman of Incitec Pivot Limited, director of Amcor Limited and Perpetual Limited, board member of the Victorian Arts Centre Trust and chairman of the Reach Foundation. He is currently a board member of Teach for Australia.