# Ian Robson: Premierships & Pressure points. Sport in the Spotlight

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Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944/ian-robson-premierships-pressure-points-sport-in-the-spotlight.md
Podcast: [What I learned in business (that didn't kill me!)](https://stenobird.com/podcast/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didn-t-kill-me-7504944)
Published: 2026-02-23T18:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://shows.acast.com/what-i-learned-in-business-that-didnt-kill-me/episodes/ian-robson
Audio file: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/68c8d9069445f7a95104183c/e/6982d435b331d49efc03c8f3/media.mp3
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Duration seconds: 3266

## Resource

Ian Robson is one of the most experienced and battle-tested sports administrators in Australia. At just 32 years old, with no prior CEO experience, Ian was appointed Chief Executive of the New Zealand Warriors , building the club ahead of its entry into top-tier rugby league. From there, his career spans: CEO of Hawthorn Football Club during its rebuild and 2008 premiership CEO of Essendon Football Club during the supplements saga CEO of Melbourne Victory during A-League success CEO of Rowing Australia , navigating Olympic sport, funding pressures and global competition Leadership roles in UK sport, including CEO of Sport Scotland Today, Ian is CEO of the iconic Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club , long associated with the Australian Open. Across rugby league, AFL, soccer, Olympic sport and government-funded systems, Ian has seen the intersection of culture, governance, pressure and public accountability at the highest levels. What we cover in this episode Building a professional sports club from scratch in New Zealand The Hawthorn rebuild and the 2008 AFL premiership The Essendon supplements saga — what happened, how it unfolded, and the lessons learned Governance failures, salary cap breaches and the cost of cutting corners Drugs in professional sport — performance enhancing and recreational Gambling, match fixing and player welfare Racism, tribalism and sexual diversity in elite sport The difference between running a football club and leading a taxpayer-funded Olympic sport This is not a highlight reel. It’s a serious conversation about leadership when the stakes are public and the consequences are generational. Disclaimer This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the participants at the time of recording and do…

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