Tim Silvers appointed as Adelaide Crows new CEO
He arrives at Adelaide after almost two decades with Hawthorn and Tim Silvers can see parallels between the club’s current position and the start of the Hawks’ modern dynasty.
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Crows chairman John Olsen says Tim Silvers’ football knowledge and value-based personality make him ideal to help lead the Crows into a new era that will focus strongly on building stronger relationships with fans.
Silvers, who had been at Hawthorn for 17 years, including for the past three as chief operating officer, was announced as Adelaide’s new CEO on Wednesday.
Adelaide’s four-and-a-half week search to find Andrew Fagan’s replacement prioritised someone who would re-engage supporters, lead its football-first strategic plan and drive a “high-performance culture”.
The Crows’ culture and transparency were regularly called into question externally during the club’s fall from 2017 grand finalist to 2020 wooden-spooner.
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Silvers’ appointment has been part of sweeping changes in key club posts from that period, including the resignations of Fagan, chairman Rob Chapman and coach Don Pyke, and sacking of football manager Brett Burton.
Olsen said the Crows had needed to manage “some adverse environment” over the past two to three years and felt fans wanted a “reset, a refocus, a new journey”.
He said Silvers fit the bill because of who he was and what he had experienced.
“Tim is a value-based person, he knows dealing with football clubs, with players, with supporters and a whole range of stakeholders,” said Olsen, who started in his role in October.
“Coupled with the football department and the way in which (football manager) Adam Kelly and (coach) Matthew Nicks now open up and explain — that’s what we want to be as open and transparent as we possibly can.
“There is a new agenda in the football department, you’re seeing that in the young players and it’s become infectious, this new attitude and culture.
“The club’s been on a journey and Tim’s appointment … adds to the journey we’re on.”
More than six years after Fagan’s arrival from rugby union, Silvers joins as a self-confessed “footy tragic” with strong contacts across the AFL.
Olsen said people the Crows spoke to within the industry unanimously believed Silvers would be a great match for the club.
“Having worked in football departments, list management, soft cap, TPP (Total Player Payments), he understands that system backwards,” he said.
“But he understands from a commercial background the revenue streams are critical to underpin the expenditure in the football department to get on-field success.”
Silvers compared Adelaide’s recent off-field changes and young list to what Hawthorn underwent at the end of 2004 — his first year at the club.
Back then, it appointed a new coach (Alistair Clarkson), chief executive (Ian Robson) and football manager (Mark Evans), helping put the Hawks on a path to premiership success as soon as 2008.
“They reset their pillars and embarked on a rebuild,” Silvers said.
“They focused on youth and that youth and those decisions became the nucleus of what were premiership teams down the track.
“Why I see this as being such a wonderful opportunity for me personally and the club is that there’s a new start.”
Silvers, who won the job at lunchtime on Tuesday, said he wanted to open up the club’s inner sanctum so supporters could be part of the ride.
“We’re going to be really public about it,” he said.
“It’s such a big brand, a big club, massive membership base.”
Silvers does not have an official start date but it will be before Round 1.
Fagan is on pre-planned annual leave on holidays interstate and will not return to the post.
Silvers rose from Hawthorn’s payroll manager to finance boss then interim CEO for four months in 2004, before becoming its chief operating officer in May 2017.
He revealed recruiting firm Morton Phillips reached out to him within days of Fagan’s resignation, which led him to undergo due diligence about the club’s leadership.
The Crows had more than 50 applications for the position.
“The process was thorough, exhaustive, engaging and it gave me real confidence that this was a really well-governed club,” he said.
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Originally published as Tim Silvers appointed as Adelaide Crows new CEO
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