Headhunters in CEO quest

NBL owner Larry Kestelman (above left) has called on two of the longest-serving chief executives in the league — Mark Beecroft (above right) and Vince Crivelli (right) — to find a new CEO for Tasmania’s next NBL club.

TWO of the longest-serving chief executives of the NBL will assist owner Larry Kestelman help find the suitable candidate for the same position for the league’s newest club.

Vince Crivelli (Melbourne United) and Mark Beecroft (Cairns) will provide advice to Kestelman as the hunt for Tasmania’s CEO officially begins.

The position has been immediately advertised as the first step in building the franchise from the ground up in time for the 2021-22 season.

“Having the right CEO is critical, our preference is it is someone that is integrally connected to Tasmania,” Kestelman said. “I have an advisory board in Tasmania, and Vince and also Mark Beecroft from Cairns are the two oldest serving CEOs and GMs in the league, and I have asked them to give me advice.

“Someone that really knows Tasmania, knows the people, understands the culture and is really well integrated into business, government and community, that would be the ideal candidate. We will go from there. No 1, they need to be the right person that understands how to run a business, and preferably business of sport.

“It is a very commercial person we need in the CEO role and ... if that person happens to not be Tasmanian, then so be it … but then they would have to be prepared to relocate to Tasmania.”

Former Chargers president and state premier David Bartlett — who was instrumental in getting the wheels in motion for Tasmania to re-enter the league for the first time in 25 years — appears a logical candidate, however he won’t be applying for the job.

Bartlett has been on the Tasmanian advisory committee alongside THA chief executive Steve Old, Basketball Tasmania CEO Chris McCoy, Launceston Tornadoes president Janie Finlay and Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief Luke Martin.

“I have given everything I had on the journey to get Tasmania back in the NBL,” Bartlett said. “I believe there are plenty of people more suited to the job of CEO than I would be. It’s time to step away.”

Once a chief executive has been appointed, attention will turn to coaching staff and signing players, as well as finding a permanent base for the club.

Kestelman said that might not be on the Derwent Entertainment Centre site, where a $20m, four-court multisport facility will also be built as part of the $68.5m redevelopment.

“We need to still think about location, where the team will be based. We don’t have a proper place to train,” Kestelman said.

“In the initial stages we need to find a temporary home. It will either be on the DEC site and exclusively for the team, or it will be part of a bigger multisport facility.”