In this episode, Reyan Fernando sits down with Mark Neeld, CEO of Geelong United Basketball, to explore a remarkable leadership journey spanning elite AFL, high-performance sport, and community impact.
From his years as a player, coach, and football executive to leading one of Australia's fastest-growing basketball organisations, Mark shares what it takes to build winning cultures, develop great people, and create a lasting sporting legacy.
Mark takes us behind the scenes of launching the Geelong Venom WNBL team in just three months, a bold undertaking that required vision, community support, and relentless execution.
He discusses the challenges of building a professional sporting club from scratch, the importance of increasing female participation in sport, and why creating pathways for women and girls remains a key focus.
The conversation also explores leadership under pressure, lessons learned from his time at the Melbourne Demons, managing public scrutiny, and maintaining a high-performance mindset while staying connected to the community.
Whether you're a business leader, sports fan, coach, or entrepreneur, this episode offers valuable insights into resilience, culture, leadership, and the power of bringing a community together around a shared vision.
Topics covered:
• Building high-performance cultures
• Launching the Geelong Venom WNBL team
• Leadership lessons from AFL and basketball
• Community ownership and engagement in sport
• Developing female participation and coaching pathways
• Managing pressure, setbacks, and public scrutiny
• The future of sport in Geelong
A fascinating conversation with one of Geelong's most influential sporting leaders.
You can connect with Reyan Fernando via LinkedIn or his website.
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