The Port Adelaide Football Club is honoured to announce David Koch as the new Chairman of its Board of Directors.
A respected and influential finance commentator, successful businessman and well-known television host, Mr Koch takes up the position of Director and Chairman vacated by Brett Duncanson who has served on the Board since 2005 and presided over it since 2009.
Mr Koch was nominated as a Director with the support of the Port Adelaide Football Club, the SANFL and the AFL, before being elected Chairman at a meeting of the Board.
[ Related: Changes to Board confirmed ]
A passionate lifetime Port Adelaide supporter and its Joint Number One Ticket Holder since 2007, Mr Koch has extensive credentials for the role as the club embarks on an era that will be defined by the move of AFL football to Adelaide Oval.
“For a Port Adelaide person and one who comes from a family that has been Port Adelaide for generations, it is an enormous honour to become the club’s Chairman,” Mr Koch said.
“There is no way I underestimate the challenges going forward, but I’m excited because I think that together we can make a difference and have a great impact as we guide the club through an incredibly exciting period.
“I have agreed to the role after taking advice from a great number of people, some of whom are every day members of Port Adelaide who sit in the outer week in and week out.
“I am humbled and strengthened by the support and commitment I have received from the supporters I have spoken with, the AFL, the SANFL and senior people within the club including Deputy Chairman Kevin Osborn and Chief Executive Officer Keith Thomas.”
Mr Koch brings extensive business knowledge and experience to the Board, along with entrepreneurial thinking, long-established contacts within corporate Australia and a national profile as co-host of Channel 7’s Sunrise program.
His appointment meets the recommendations of an external review of the Board’s make-up, urging a wider diversity of skills among its Directors including a strong representation in the eastern states.
A father-of-four married to Libby, Mr Koch will remain based in Sydney where he fulfils his daily television and financial commentary commitments while also running his own media business.
“I absolutely see the fact that I don’t live in Adelaide as an advantage in my role at Port Adelaide,” Mr Koch said.
“Port Adelaide has got to be a powerful AFL brand not only in Adelaide and South Australia but also a powerful national brand. I am fortunate to have an east coast influence and network and I believe that will be important to Port Adelaide going forward.
“While we are very much the Port Adelaide Football Club and we will never forget our roots and where we come from, we don’t just represent the Port Adelaide district.
“We have members who live in other areas of South Australia as well as interstate as well as overseas, and that’s where many potential supporters and corporate backers also are.
“We have fantastic support from many local sponsors like V.I.P. Home Services and many others, but we also have to think nationally and one of my first projects will be to set up a national advisory board of corporate and community leaders who are Port Adelaide supporters and want to help the club become stronger.”
Port Adelaide Deputy Chairman Kevin Osborn welcomed Mr Koch to his new roles.
“David’s national presence in television and financial circles will be a great help to our club as we look to expand our brand and appeal to a larger interstate corporate network,” Mr Osborn said.
“We are part of a national competition and it has become increasingly important that we have a national presence in all aspects of our business.”
Mr Koch will attend monthly Board meetings while maintaining constant contact with fellow Directors and Chief Executive Officer Keith Thomas. “I’ll be at every Board meeting personally by flying in for each one through the year,” Mr Koch said.
“And beyond those meetings, I will have plenty of contact with the people I need to. Technology means that it doesn’t matter where you are, you can eyeball people. I’m very comfortable with that and I know Keith and the board are at ease with that.”
Mr Duncanson said he was excited to hand over the reins to Mr Koch, having previously signalled his intention to stand aside at the end of 2012.
“David is a very proud Port Adelaide man who brings passion and many other great qualities to the role,” Mr Duncanson said.
“I am thrilled that he is taking over and I have no doubt that he is in a position to make a great impact on behalf of our great club and build upon what has been achieved in the past.”
Mr Koch said he was determined to see Port Adelaide become successful on the football field and financially strong away from it.
“The two things I’ll promise are that every individual associated with the club will do everything they can to be the best in the league, and that there’ll be no lack of heart around Port Adelaide,” Mr Koch said.
“It will have heart when it plays and it will have heart in in the way that it operates as a club including in the way that it deals with its supporters and members.”
Mr Koch was born and raised in Largs Bay and has maintained his devotion to Port Adelaide throughout his successful career.
“I am lucky enough to be a part of a great family tradition of supporting Port Adelaide,” Mr Koch said.
“My extended family, including cousins and their children, are all Port Adelaide people and they go to every game to support Port Adelaide in the outer. That will never change.”
DAVID JAMES KOCH
Chairman and Director of Port Adelaide Football Club
Co-host of Channel 7’s Sunrise program
Financial commentator for Channel 7, News Ltd newspapers and New Idea
Director of Pinstripe Media
Chairman of Organ and Tissue Authority Advisory Board
Founding Director and shareholder of Sydney Kings basketball organisation
Author of four books
Personal
Born: 7 March 1956 Married to Libby
Children: Samantha, Brianna, Alexander and Georgina.
Four grandchildren
http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au
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