The Perth Bears have confirmed Tony Rea will become the club's new CEO, effective immediately.
Rea takes over from Anthony De Ceglie, who stood down last month before the Bears had held their first official pre-season training session.
The new CEO has been involved in sport for more tan three decades, and is an ex-captain of the North Sydney Bears, where he played 120 games between 1988 and 1994.
He then moved to the London Broncos, playing through to the end of 1996 until he became the CEO through to 2000.
Rea was caretaker coach at the end of 2000 despite being the CEO, and then became fulltime coach, standing down from his administration role.
He remained head coach through to the end of 2006, and then again between 2012 and 2014 at the club, while he also spent two years coaching rugby union at the Brumbies in 2011 and 2012.
Club chairman Ben Morton said Rea's appointment would help deliver the second stage off the Perth Bears.
“There are three distinct phases in our club's journey: start-up, build and develop. We have successfully navigated the start-up phase and Tony brings the leadership needed for our build phase," Morton said in a statement confirming the news.
“This is a known concept in WA, aligned with our resources sector where companies move from exploration to construction and then production. Getting the leadership right at each phase is critical for success. As a board, we are delighted with Tony's appointment.
“Tony, as CEO, will bring our high-performing teams together as one. Tony has the leadership attributes and experience needed. Critically, Tony is a proven mentor who is dedicated to ensuring Perth Bears' success on and off the field. Tony shares our commitment to growing rugby league across WA."
Rea said he was excited to call Western Australia home.
“I've sat in almost every seat in a club: player, captain, development officer, head coach, director of rugby and board member. My job as CEO is not to do any one of those jobs - but rather to use that experience to lead our professional team together as one, committed to success,” he said.
“The Perth Bears have assembled an exceptional and professional team. They have achieved so much in such a short amount of time and I look forward to leading them as CEO into this next chapter.
“Our hungry and determined squad has been curated under the wise leadership of Mal Meninga. Our task is to ensure they have every support needed to be the formidable team we know they can be.
“My professional work over the last decade has exposed me, albeit from a distance, to the determination, resilience and grit of West Australians. I'm delighted I'll be calling WA home and even more delighted to be part of developing more rugby league talent out of WA.”
The Bears will find out their inaugural opposition when the NRL fixtures release on November 16.
