Our People
Brad Paatsch is Managing Director of Paatsch Group, and is one of Australia’s leading specialists in the sport, leisure and stadia sector.
Brad has been intimately involved in the development of some of Australia’s most recent innovative and iconic sporting infrastructure.
Brad is an MBA qualified executive with 25 years’ experience in leadership, strategy, governance, negotiation, human resources, finance and commercial management. Brad formed Paatsch Group following more than 15 years of executive management experience, including Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager roles.
Brad has extensive experience and skills in the successful delivery of complex multi-faceted negotiations and projects, having had responsibility for the procurement of over $150m in commercial revenue and $190m in government funding. Additional extensive experience in organisational structuring, recruiting, developing and managing teams of individuals around a common purpose, strategy and goal means Brad is well placed to assist you in taking your project or opportunity forward.
Previous roles undertaken by Brad and key outcomes delivered in these roles include:
Chief Executive Officer, Global Rapid Rugby
- In charge of all aspects of the development of a new Asia Pacific rugby union competition and management of the Western Force rugby union team.
- Direct responsibility for negotiating critical, multi-million-dollar partner and stakeholder contracts, securing sanction agreements with World Rugby and relevant unions, securing commercial partners and establishing a strong brand.
- Worked with governments across the Asia Pacific and key stakeholders to ensure delivery of the new competition in a very short time frame.
Chief Operating Officer, Optus Stadium
- Second in charge of the $1.3 billion 60,000 seat, multipurpose Optus Stadium and precinct with direct responsibility for commercial revenue, user negotiation and procurement, government and stakeholder management and communications and marketing.
- Strategic development and implementation of the Optus Stadium Commercial Program with a value of $15m+ annually and a total value of $100m+ for the terms of the agreements, including “Optus” as the Naming Rights partner in a multi-million-dollar ten-year deal (Australia’s largest) and multiple venue partnerships, including, but not limited to Bankwest, Crown, TAB and Audi; and commercial supply partnerships with key local suppliers Gage Roads Brewing and Mrs Mac’s Pies, and multi-national companies such as Ticketmaster and Coca-Cola.
- Strategic design and development of the Bankwest Club membership program, which generated $8.3m revenue in year one and will generate $41.5m in revenue over the initial five-year membership.
General Manager, Strategic Projects, Fremantle Football Club
- Responsible for all aspects of planning and developing the $110 million Fremantle Football Club (FFC) administration and training facility, integrated with Cockburn ARC, the largest facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere.
- Procurement of in excess of $90 million in public sector funding for the joint Cockburn ARC/FFC admin and training facility.
- Delivery of all aspects of commercial negotiations for FFC future use of Optus Stadium, including planning, financial forecasting and match return negotiation and negotiation of user agreement and for design input and development.
- Development of the successful bid for the FFC inaugural National Women’s Australian Rules Football League Team in 2017.
Brad has a detailed knowledge and practical understanding of the elements critical to success in business and sport management, business development, as well as extensive knowledge in sport facility design, operation and management.
Brad brings extensive skills and experience in business negotiation, government liaison, business planning, marketing, strategic planning and venue design and management.
He is has had enormous success in funding procurement for elite and community level sport, though all levels of government.
