Team GWS has taken a major step to becoming an AFL club by announcing prominent infrastructure and engineering services industry leader Tony Shepherd as the Club’s inaugural Chairman.

The appointment of Mr Shepherd, the Chairman of Transfield Services Limited one of the biggest infrastructure and engineering services companies in Australia, marks another crucial milestone for Team GWS as it seeks to become the 18^th AFL team starting in the competition in 2012.

Mr Shepherd, a lifelong AFL supporter, is regarded as a major figure in public building and the construction industry because of his work on major infrastructure and urban renewal projects in Australia including the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, the Walsh Bay redevelopment and the Melbourne CityLink and EastLink projects.  Mr. Shepherd has helped to successfully launch public companies such as Transurban Limited, Transfield Services Limited and ConnectEast.

AFL Chief Executive officer Andrew Demetriou said the AFL Commission was thrilled that a business leader with Mr Shepherd’s experience and passion had taken on the role to guide Team GWS and its Board.

"In the past few months Team GWS has gone from strength to strength and the appointment of a business leader like Tony Shepherd is such an exciting next step. Tony has been involved in so many major construction projects and his experience in building new companies and projects will take the building of Team GWS to a whole new level," Mr Demetriou said.

"He is well-respected for his ability to deliver major projects that have changed this country and also as someone with a gift for bringing together community, business and government around a vision.

"Tony has the business knowledge, the sports administration smarts through his time as a SCG Trustee, an amazing business and government network and a real passion for sport, particularly AFL. We have said that building a strong and successful AFL team in Greater Western Sydney is a generational decision and Tony is someone who has spent his life on projects delivering generational change.

Mr Shepherd said he was excited by the opportunity to take on the role as chairman of Team GWS and building a new AFL club for the almost two million people living in Greater Western Sydney.

He said his first tasks would be to build a strong and representative Board, appoint a CEO and put in place the structure and governance essential for long term success. The next step would be to prepare a business plan for the club which was planned to be presented to the AFL commission in July, which is a critical step in the Club acquiring a licence from the AFL.

"This is a great challenge. I believe in the vision of having an AFL team in Western Sydney and think the people of Greater Western Sydney have the enthusiasm and the drive to make this happen," Mr Shepherd said.

"The AFL has committed to the region and to building a new club that will create a great community asset but also create new jobs and opportunities for families in the west.  What impresses me about the AFL is its grassroots investment which starts with wonderful programs such as NAB AFL AusKick.

 "Team GWS is putting together a real A-team with the likes of Kevin Sheedy, Graeme Allan, Tom Harley, Alan McConnell, Grant Mayer, Andrew Hill, Paul Kelly and others. It’s a really top-class team and I look forward to working with them and in building a Board and a Club that can deliver a vibrant and successful new team in Western Sydney."

Mr Shepherd, 65, is also a trustee of the SCG Trust, said he had recently reduced some of his business commitments to ensure he had the time to devote to the role of Team GWS Chairman.

"My eight years on the Trust has given me an opportunity to work with a number of the codes including the AFL and to better understand the needs of clubs and codes," he said.

Mr Shepherd said he had advised SCG Trust Chairman Rodney Cavalier of his new role and said – in keeping with strict corporate governance practice – he would excuse himself from any discussions where his roles were in conflict.

He said he was looking forward to working with the GWS community to build support for the club and ensure that the region benefited economically and socially from the operation of the AFL team.

"One of the important elements of this team is that it is looking to build a successful football team but also a successful community organisation that can help to generate jobs, economic activity, tourism, promote harmony and also help to deliver better health and education outcomes."

Mr Shepherd, who is currently the Chairman of Transfield Services, joined Transfield in 1979 from the Federal Public Service, where he played a major role in developing Transfield’s entry into the pipeline industry, Defence, and the development of infrastructure such as the Sydney Harbour Tunnel.

He was appointed Chief Executive of Transfield Project Development, a specialist division dedicated to the development of major projects and, particularly, those projects financed by the private sector. 

He has considerable experience in the development of extremely large infrastructure projects including, the $750 million Sydney Harbour Tunnel Project;   the $2 billion Melbourne City Link Project;   the $3.5b East Link Project and more recently the $5b Victorian Desalination Project.

In November last year he received the prestigious Services to Construction Award from the Australian Construction Association for his services to major infrastructure projects in this country. 

His other current appointments include a Trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust and a Director of The Australian Chamber Orchestra.  He is also a Patron of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.