Andrew Demetriou and family pose with La Trobe deputy chancellor Dr Philip Moors AO (left) and vice-chancellor Professor John Dewar (right). If you asked him what his future with the AFL is, he would say, 'Oh, I'll do it for five years and then I'll retire to Lake Como.' "Andrew plays the great game at all times," his friend Red Symons once said. The chief executive, who joined the AFL first as its football boss in 2000, will vacate the role which has become the most powerful in Australian sport, was questioned about whether he should be blamed at all for Essendons dangerous drug program. They met for dinner, got talking and soon the Demetrious had taken a one-third interest in the fledgling business. . Everyone has to because that's just the expectation. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. (Photo by Kristian Dowling/Getty Images). He'd had one great relationship in his life; that was all anyone could expect. He seems relaxed but self-possessed, friendly but not confiding. Andrew Demetriou is the quintessential boy done good. Andrew Demetriou was born on 14 April, 1961 in Australian, is an Australian rules footballer, born 1961. And on the drugs policy, the heat was coming in the form of a blowtorch from Howard Government ministers George Brandis and Christopher Pyne, who in the lead-up to the 2007 election beat a path to league headquarters, media in tow, demanding change. Demetriou appears to have a knack of finding common ground. They have three daughters and a son. I don't think there's anything wrong with giving people options.". He lacks fanaticism. He was educated at La Trobe University, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 and a Diploma of Education in 1984. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. They're all different. If you're going to have relationships, they've got to be meaningful. . Leaves it to others. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Andrew Demetriou (born 14 April 1961) is an Australian businessman, sports administrator, and former Australian rules football player who was chief executive officer (CEO) of the Australian Football League (AFL) up to June 2014. Date of Birth: 14 April 1961. . "I don't think the AFL has the slightest interest in the community of western Sydney," says Roy Masters. ", Demetriou had spent his years with Bassett teaching and developing his business interests, primarily in a company manufacturing acrylic teeth, called Ruthinium. "I've said continuously that it's not going to be easy," says Demetriou calmly. [8] North Melbourne rejected that offer and, in January 2008, the AFL chairman, Mike Fitzpatrick and Demetriou announced that the Gold Coast Football Club would enter the AFL in 2011. It's based in northern Italy. ", "Even though the commission has always had expansionist aspirations, there's clearly a lot of Andrew in it as well," adds Richmond's Brendon Gale. In seven years in the job, he has transformed how, where and by whom Aussie rules is played. I invest heavily in my family, and in friends and colleagues. Suddenly, he was switching teams.The irony was hardly lost on his new colleagues. Collect, curate and comment on your files. But we are where we are based on this unbelievable industry, and the fact is we've got 10 teams in Melbourne that 10 years ago had 200,000 members and now have 400,000. And I dare say it's the same for NRL. The new general manager of football operations was stunned, to say the least. "I'm a big fan, and a great supporter," says Jill Lindsay, who started at league headquarters 40 years ago. And it was possibly a greater asset to him than his kicking, which could be a bit hit and miss. "Not many people get away with calling Andrew, Andy. No one barracks for the AFL, put it that way. I wanted to see what his reaction would be. In 2009, Demetriou earned $1.8 million for his role at the AFL. Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Demetriou himself rejects the idea of deliberate discrimination in his early life, but it seems more likely that, for an able and confident kid, it did exist and he simply brushed it off. Demetriou in 2014 became the Chairman of the Advisory Board at Acquire Learning. In 2011, Demetriou was involved in securing a record breaking A$1.25 billion TV rights deal for the period of 20122016. We're changing people's behaviour. He was at his best when he was under the most stress and duress.". "Except, perhaps, the meta-narcissism of some of the best political leaders. Either way, Purebaby seems the perfect antidote to Demetriou's pressure-cooker life running the national league, perhaps the most heavily scrutinised public role in this town and state alongside that of Premier. "Andrew needs to set high goals for himself," wrote his grade 4 teacher, "because he can achieve them. So, these clubs are great survivors. Says Demetriou now: "It was an incredibly powerful statement. With his second wife, Symone, Demetriou raised twin daughters, as well as an additional daughter and a son. Ryan Edwards and his wife, Mackenzie, have officially called it quits amid their ongoing legal issues. Free market forces might not deem Demetriou's playing career worthy of football's pantheon - a 1985 Scanlen's card of the moustachioed player was selling for $1.99 on eBay last month - though anyone who gets to pull the boots on for more than 100 matches can't be too shabby, a record that would mark a Demetriou boy a potential father-son recruit. It was that meeting that convinced Karmichael that he should move to AFL.". But his mother went only once, to the MCG for a final against Hawthorn in 1982. Symone will have brought home Who or New Weekly and the next thing I'm reading about who Lindsay Lohan's slept with and whatever. That would leave a massive hole at the competitions governing body and the game at the crossroads. I just want to punch his lights out. "He spoke about where the game had been 100 years ago. "Symone and my children are my . He didn't have an ounce left in him. Her sense of humanity, and my father's too, they were very generous and were always looking for the good in people. He keeps his cards so close to his chest, I guess I should have known that the briefest glimpse of him showing an interest in a woman meant that he would marry her and have children with her.". Andrew is currently non Executive Director of Crown Resorts, Chairman of Capital Health Group and Cox Architects and sits on the Australian Reconciliation Council. "If I were to believe you guys," he told the audience of journalists, "I'm a hot-tempered, loud, heavy-gambling Cypriot, prone to fly off the handle without warning. One of the more significant challenges he has faced was his first wife died of cancer in 1999. It's a great escape. He understands the power and responsibility of running the "people's game". "I'm never going into politics," he insists now, almost stamping a foot. ", "Andrew Demetriou," wrote Bassett, "has taught me much about life.". He took his first job back in football in 1997, partly so he could be at home with Bassett during her illness. I remember that really clearly, and a great photograph of (coach) John Kennedy hugging Schimmer who was spent, just spent. "In many ways, they didn't expect anything from us. I'm very optimistic about what's going to happen in greater western Sydney, very optimistic. What we've said all along is that we're just offering another option for young children to take up the game. "Two bunk beds and four boys in one room," recalls his eldest brother, lawyer James Demetriou. This is no doubt true - but not the whole truth. "I can't see another 10 years here," he says, looking around his office. We're not drug experts. He was elected by the board of directors at the end of the 2003 season, taking over from the outgoing CEO Wayne Jackson. In 2002 he married his current wife Symone, and they have three daughters and a son.[22]. He may even, say several of his friends, end up at Lake Como. The youngest of four boys born to Greek Cypriot parents, Demetriou was good enough to play top-level football in the 1980s, eking out. "We've got players telling our doctors 'thank God, you saved me'. It was while Demetriou was a student at La Trobe University in 1983 that he met his first wife, historian Jan Bassett. Andrew Demetriou timeline: achievements and controversies From North Melbourne winger to departing CEO: Andrew Demetriou's 33 years in the AFL Mar 2, 2014, 3:54pm 1981: MADE his VFL debut with North Melbourne, playing 103 games with the club between 1981 and 1987. "My wife and I talk about it now, about how we try to find a balance for our children. "Informality quickly makes way for more formal discussion on those evenings when the four business partners order in. I don't begrudge that at all. Grow your brand authentically by sharing brand content with the internets creators. The defeat was the turning point in the Swans' season, with the Swans losing only two more home-and-away games for the season, both by single-figure margins and eventually winning the 2005 Premiership. The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. She would have been 14 at the time of his most cherished football moment, but by then had jumped onto the bandwagon of the team that would go back-to-back that year, Essendon. "I think the task is absolutely massive," says Ireland. "And in return? As the AFL's most visible symbol, it can also be convenient to hate Andrew Demetriou. [17], Demetriou has interests in factories in Brazil and India which manufacture dental products and exports them to 70 markets, including Australia. ". It had got a lot easier by the time Andrew went through - his cohort was that big '60s influx of migrants - but I know he copped it on the footy field. So he was really pointing out missed opportunities. It's a ridiculous expectation. A fourth daughter would be fantastic. I get home and see the children, help with the bath, reading books, getting to bed. The deal included unprecedented live TV coverage of the AFL competition in all states of Australia through free-to-air, subscription and IP television. "The scene is not played out in the sleek and softly lit inner sanctum of the league's Docklands headquarters, with its polished hardwood table, swivel chairs and portraits of football's long lineage of powerbrokers, but one that normally takes place in the kitchen of the Demetriou family home in Toorak. The chief executive of Crown Resorts, Ken Barton, and a non-executive director of the casino group, Andrew Demetriou, . Along the way, he also chaired Baxter, a waste management company that was eventually sold to a bigger outfit. He is currently single. "We've had some differences and clashes over years. "He was amazing during her illness," says Unglik. First Name Andrew. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. It hurts people. But there's something about his knees, as if he were once pigeon-toed, or injured in some way, that makes him kick out his feet as he walks. She died in 2004. If I hadn't had footy this year, it would have been a lot worse. he exclaims.Unquestionably, says the Swans' Richard Collis, expansion will be remembered "as a part of the Demetriou era".How long an era? If the other person feels they've been dudded, it's not a negotiation worth having. , money, salary, income, and assets. Demetriou, who has sat on Crown's board since 2015, told the inquiry that the company's risk management processes were good but that important information was not escalated to the board. In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. Ben Buckley, his teammate at North Melbourne, later his No. It's the largest multicultural area in Australia. Giving up cricket, Demetriou joined North Melbourne football club, and played 103 games as an "unobtrusive wingman" between 1981 and 1987, as well as three games for Hawthorn in 1988. WHEN you are the chief executive of the AFL you carry a big stick and you walk the corridors of power. Demetriou was made CEO of the AFL in 2003, replacing Wayne Jackson. The family was close, and Demetriou grew up conscious of his parents' love, sacrifice and work ethic. "Though one of nine AFL commissioners, the buck stops with Demetriou. Michael Warner and Ashley Argoon 5 min read December 12, 2013 - 5:27PM HeraldSun "Nine years on, having moved from football operations to the top job, football's consensus is that Demetriou has done anything but stuff the league. He always puts the family first. His parents followed his playing career faithfully, his father rarely missing a game. ("Bizarre, I know," he told one reporter. He was educated at La Trobe University, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1983 and a Diploma of Education in 1984. We spent a hell of a lot of time travelling in the last two or three years, we did some really wonderful things together, and in some ways, she changed quite a bit as a person in that time, too. The game will need all the money it can get. Andrew and Symone Demetriou moved there 18 months ago from Hawthorn, into a two-storey 1930s home with lap pool, cellar and five-car garage, essentially to be nearer their daughters' school. Even when I said to him, 'Andrew, you know, maybe now you should start to think about moving on how are you feeling? In April 2014, it was announced that Gillon McLachlan, Demetriou's then deputy, would be his successor. He convinced the Players' Association to accept random testing for illicit drugs, not just performance-enhancing ones, something that is rare in sporting codes the world over, and unheard of in most professions. Historically, in fact, it's tried to go even further. He also claimed that the Swans would not win a premiership with the way they were playing, and this statement was underlined when the team suffered a 43-point defeat to St Kilda in Round 10. And I read the form guide, which I love. Andrew Demetriou's net worth "About time! He looks momentarily uncomfortable, as if he's never thought about it. There'd be trees to sit under, and coffee to drink, and papers to read. Demetriou played 103 games for the North Melbourne Football Club between 1981 and 1987, finishing his playing career with a three-game stint for Hawthorn in 1988. Two years later, Demetriou had begun to learn his lesson. 'I'm just ringing to say your brother has died.' Thirty-one years!" Get premium, high resolution news photos at Getty Images "Well, nobody said anything about my mother, thank God. And because he was so good at both footy and cricket, that probably aggravated some people: 'How come you're better than us, you bloody wog?' "Can you imagine?". But McLachlans reputation was not enhanced when he was placed in charge of standing in judgment over Melbourne following the tanking investigation, nor by the messy completion of the Essendon negotiation. He was 24. Its leafy luxury contrasts sharply with the suburban landscape of postcode 3058. But there wouldn't be footy. And probably dish them out. Andrew Demetrious income source is mostly from being a successful Player. "He was the boy from the northern suburbs," one observer puts it. [citation needed] He claimed that the Swans would not win the premiership with the way they were playing,[10] and this statement was underlined when the team suffered a 43-point defeat to St Kilda in Round 10. There will be a bit of talk about the next season. My mother, who passed away three years ago, was an incredible woman. He was awarded the University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009 and a Doctor of Letters (honoris causa) in 2015 in recognition of his outstanding contributions to sport management and to Australian society through his leadership and support of important social issues, and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor. There has been much talk of the $200-million war chest that will fund the expansion, and those on the inside say it will take all this and more. [citation needed], Between 1998 and 2000, Demetriou was CEO of the AFL Players Association. We manufacture and distribute false teeth. ", "But it's completely unacceptable today. The year after Bassett's death, Ben Buckley's first wife, Kim, was also diagnosed with breast cancer. Demetriou, for his part, was "overwhelmed" by the support he received from the footballing community after Bassett's death. "I'm forever reading for work, reports and documents and whatever. [19][20] Acquire Learning entered voluntary administration in May 2017, shortly after Demetriou left the company. Demetriou is best known for his position as CEO of the Australian Football League. McLachlan also played the pivotal role in negotiations which saw the redevelopment of Adelaide Oval as an AFL venue - an achievement which will see the season launched there on Wednesday and which Demetriou described as his greatest professional effort given the degree of difficulty involving the South Australian football body, the cricket association and the state government. Right now, Demetriou doesn't look to be going anywhere, though he insists he'll know when it's time to move on long before others know it of him. "Demetriou had a cup of tea with David Gallop [head of the NRL] on the Tuesday morning," says rugby league sage Roy Masters, "and that afternoon he had Karmichael Hunt over to his Toorak home. He's a dignified man, and holds himself well: back straight, arms relaxed, briefcase swinging. ""Our game takes 17-year-olds from completely different backgrounds. Andrew finished his tenure with the AFL in June. I remember my mother getting the same call. And all I know (about) what we did was as a game (we) always put the players first to protect the integrity of the game., When pressed later about his own level of culpability Demetriou was firmer: I do not accept any responsibility for people who seek to infiltrate the game, who inject young men with god knows what substances, to introduce substances which are abhorrent to the game and to families.. Demetriou is uniquely fitted for the expansionist task by two great strengths: his belief in the game's ability to promote causes like multiculturalism and egalitarianism, and his expertise in harnessing exactly these causes to make a great deal of money. And some suggested a life in politics back in 2005, when he openly questioned whether Australia had become mean-spirited compared to the optimistic country that welcomed his parents in the 1950s, challenging directly the Howard Government's tough asylum-seeker laws in the wake of the Tampa incident. But should his long-serving deputy, who knocked back the NRL job in early 2013, fail to succeed him then McLachlan too would leave. "I think anyone who has strong views about things and seeks by dint of their own strength of personality to force things through, always runs the risk of alienating people," observes Sydney Swans president Richard Collis. He has the air, sometimes seen in confident people, of not needing to charm you. In 2005 Demetriou criticised the Sydney Swans and then-coach Paul Roos, labelling the team's play as "unattractive" and "ugly". During the 2013 Finals Series he also co-hosted Talking Footy for the Seven Network. (But) I was very careful not to tread on too many toes. [7], Demetriou has been highly influential in the AFL Commission's desire for a team to be based on the Gold Coast. The comic wore a white tuxedo with a matching black tie. Andrew J. Demetriou | Corporate Attorney | Los Angeles | Husch Blackwell Andrew J. Demetriou Senior Counsel Los Angeles phone: 213.356.2949 fax: 213.337.6551 email: andrew.demetriou@huschblackwell.com Overview Experience Thought Leadership Outside the Office Community Leadership Download Bio Download vCard Overview