AFL heavyweight set to be named as next Australian Grand Prix boss
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AFL heavyweight Travis Auld is set to be appointed within weeks as the next chief executive of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation.
The AGPC board has been searching for a replacement for Andrew Westacott since he announced his resignation in December.
Senior AFL executive Travis Auld will be appointed the top job for the Australian Grand Prix CorporationCredit: Getty
Two sources with knowledge of the selection process, who could not speak publicly before the announcement was made, confirmed that Auld was the sole preferred candidate for the position.
One of the sources added that it would be a shock if another candidate emerged.
Auld is the AFL’s chief financial officer and manager of broadcasting, clubs and fixtures. Before his appointment to the AFL executive in 2014, Auld served as the CEO for Gold Coast, and as chief operations officer for Essendon.
Auld was considered one of the top contenders during the AFL’s year-long search for Gill McLachlan’s replacement. His colleague, Andrew Dillon, was unveiled as AFL chief executive-elect in May.
An Australian Grand Prix source said Auld could begin as early as the end of July. He will take over from the AGPC’s general counsel, Dale Nardella, who has been acting as chief executive since July 1.
Auld will oversee the Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix, as well as the Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, held at Phillip Island. Victoria has hosted the Formula 1 grand prix for 25 years – since 1996 – after nabbing the event from Adelaide.
His expected appointment comes as F1 continues to surge in popularity, with the grand prix one of the jewels in Melbourne’s sporting and events calendar.
This year, organisers said the four-day event attracted a record crowd of 441,631 to the Albert Park Lake venue. The Save Albert Park group has consistently questioned the accuracy of crowd numbers.
There is ongoing talk of a possible night grand prix and Melbourne has its work cut out to regain the much sought-after first-round slot in the race calendar after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia got the nod when the race was twice cancelled during the pandemic.
The event also hasn’t been without its controversies. This year, the AGPC admitted to security failures after a large group of fans invaded the track while the Formula 1 race was still under way.
There were also concerns after an unusually high number of crashes occurred on race day, when eight drivers were forced to retire across the 58-lap race.
Westacott, who held the top job since 2011, announced that he would step down in December – soon after Victoria secured the rights to the Australian Grand Prix until 2037. The 57-year-old said the timing was right for him and “for the corporation as well”.
The AGPC board, chaired by former Essendon president Paul Little, led the candidacy process. Australian Grand Prix racing legend Mick Doohan and nine-time grands prix winner Mark Webber are among the eight other names on the board.
As part of the process, the board’s preferred appointee must be approved by the state’s sports and major events minister, Steve Dimopolous.
A Victorian government spokesperson would not confirm Auld’s appointment when asked.
“The recruitment process for the Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO is continuing and we’ll have more to say on this soon,” the spokesperson said.
Former Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief executive Andrew Westacott.Credit: Getty Images
Asked about Auld taking the position, an AFL spokesperson said: “That is a question best directed to the Aus Grand Prix Corporation. Travis is currently working through CBA negotiations with the AFL team and the AFLPA.”
His expected departure from the AFL leaves another gap as Dillon seeks to rebuild his executive team and officially take over from McLachlan on October 1. The league has been heavily criticised for leaving the crucial football operations job vacant for so long, following the departure of Brad Scott to Essendon.
The Age reported in March that Auld was a contender for the Aus GP role while he was being considered for the AFL’s top job.
Auld directed questions from The Age to the AFL and the AGPC directed questions to the government.
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