Sports - AFL
Essendon CEO Craig Vozzo steps down effective immediately
Essendon chief executive Craig Vozzo has resigned effective immediately, citing family reasons, as the club continues a period of significant change.
Essendon's off-field shake-up has continued, with chief executive Craig Vozzo announcing his immediate departure from the club as he prepares to return to South Australia for family reasons.
Vozzo, who joined the Bombers as CEO in November 2022 after a brief tenure by Andrew Thorburn, informed the club this week that he would step down as his initial three-year contract approached its end.
Formerly football boss at West Coast, Vozzo said the timing allowed him to reassess his priorities after more than 15 years living away from home.
He said the decision followed time spent in South Australia after the conclusion of Essendon's AFLW season and the men's draft, adding that the period of reflection reinforced his desire to step back from the CEO role and place family ahead of career.
Vozzo described leading Essendon as a great honour and privilege, while acknowledging the difficulty of leaving a club he deeply loved.
Essendon president Andrew Welsh praised Vozzo's impact, saying his football knowledge and leadership had driven significant change across the club. He said the foundations laid across the AFL and AFLW programs, commercial operations and facilities had positioned Essendon well for the future.
Welsh confirmed the club was exploring options to retain Vozzo in a consultancy capacity, particularly in list management and recruiting. He also said the board had begun a process to appoint a new CEO, with chief operating officer Nick Ryan to act in the role in the interim.
Vozzo's departure follows a challenging year for the Bombers on and off the field. Essendon finished 15th on the AFL ladder and later dealt with trade interest from Hawthorn in captain Zach Merrett, who ultimately stayed but relinquished the captaincy.
The club has also made changes within its football department after a heavy injury toll in 2025, with Mathew Inness replacing Sean Murphy as head of high performance and David Regan appointed senior strength and conditioning coach.
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