Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell has resigned.
The former chief executive, who recently re-signed for two more years, has walked out following a difference of opinion with new president David Barham.
Essendon chief executive Xavier Campbell has resigned from the club.Credit:Paul Jeffers
Campbell, who took over as CEO in the middle of the club’s drugs scandal, had helped to navigate the club through arguably the most difficult period of Essendon’s history.
But Campbell was also responsible for the hiring of former football boss Dan Richardson, who had formerly worked with former Essendon coach Ben Rutten when he was an assistant at Richmond.
Rutten was eventually sacked on Sunday, following a chaotic courtship of legendary Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson, who last week was announced as North Melbourne’s next coach.
At 34, Campbell became the youngest chief executive of the Essendon Football Club in the club’s history, having taking over at the beginning of 2014.
Campbell will hold a meeting with Essendon staff on Wednesday morning. He had been contemplating the decision for some time, and informed Barham over the weekend.
The prospect of Campbell’s exit had been raised when new president Barham said he had to have a conversation with the CEO about his future late last week, after the Bombers were beaten for Clarkson’s services by the Kangaroos.
Campbell has been aligned with former president Paul Brasher, having worked behind the scenes for Brasher to take over as president when previous chairman Lindsay Tanner stepped down.
Campbell has also been closely aligned with football boss Josh Mahoney, who joined the Dons before the 2021 season.
The move will aim to be part of the process of unifying the club and removing the political divisions. More changes are expected.
Within a fortnight, Essendon have now turned over the three biggest leadership positions in the organisation with a new president, the coach sacked and now Campbell’s resignation.
