Steve Harris steps down as Dockers President

The Brand Agency’s CEO and current CB Ad Person of the Year Steve Harris has announced he is stepping down as president of the Fremantle Dockers.

He made the announcement during his President’s address at a pre-game function before Fremantle’s clash with Adelaide at Domain Stadium yesterday.

Harris, told guests he was standing down to spend more time with his family and to focus on the agency business.

The Brand Agency has recently opened in London to service Bunnings’ expansion to the UK, and Harris spent several weeks there in June – in the middle of the AFL season – getting the office established.

He has also added extra STW Group responsibilities to his schedule in the past year having succeeded Ken James as Chairman of the The Brand Agency.

First appointed as a director in 2008 before commencing his seven-year term as president in December 2009, Harris confirmed that current vice president Dale Alcock would become the club’s fifth president.

During the Harris era as president, the club has increased membership by more than 30 per cent (from 39,622 in 2009 to the current record level of almost 52,000), recorded a profit in each of the past seven years, played in five finals series in that period, including four consecutive finals series from 2012 to 2015 and a Grand Final appearance in 2013. He has also overseen the club’s somewhat controversial pending relocation to its new training and administration facility at Cockburn Central West, and a successful bid to secure the inaugural licence for a WA team in the AFL’s new national women’s league.

“It has been a great honour and a privilege to serve as president of the Fremantle Dockers during what has been a dynamic period of growth, development and progress for the club,” Harris said. “During the past seven years I have been very fortunate to have the support and guidance of an outstanding board of directors, whose collective talents and diverse range of views have helped position the club where it is today.”

“Given that my current term on the board ends on October 31 and that there is such a high quality individual as Dale Alcock available to take on the role, the time is right for me to step aside.”

AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick acknowledged the importance of Harris’ contribution to the club during his tenure as president.

“Steve has left the Fremantle Football Club in an extremely strong position with his work leading an excellent board over the last seven years,” Fitzpatrick said. “Their new training and administration facility will be one of the best in the competition and the club has built itself up to be a strong financial presence in our game with a passionate and loyal fan base. On behalf of the AFL Commission, we thank Steve for his contribution and wish him well for the future.”