Anthony Di Pietro
Anthony Di Pietro (born 15 February 1969) is a businessman from Melbourne, Australia. Di Pietro is most known for his current and longest standing chairmanship of Melbourne Victory FC, a professional association football (soccer) club that participates in the Hyundai A-League. Alongside sport, Di Pietro is also the Chief Executive Officer and a board member of industry leading fruit & vegetable producers and marketers, the LaManna Premier Group.
Anthony Di Pietro | |
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![]() Di Pietro addresses the audience at a Melbourne Victory Function | |
Born | |
Nationality | Australian |
Occupation | Businessman CEO and Director of LaManna Premier Group (2003–) Chairman of Melbourne Victory FC (2011–) |
Known for | Chairman of Melbourne Victory FC |
Early life and education
Di Pietro was born in the Melbourne suburb of Frankston in 1969, and is of Italian descent. Di Pietro completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree at The University of Melbourne in 1990, and occasionally addresses graduating students in the University's Business and Economics faculty, first appearing in 2013.[1]
Agribusiness
Di Pietro is Group CEO of LaManna Premier Group.[2]
The company's farming and marketing enterprises[3][4] cover all major Australian markets. It has farming operations in Queensland, the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Goulburn Valley Victoria.
Di Pietro voiced his advocacy for an 'Australian-led Asian food boom' and was a key participant in the Victorian Government's 2013 Food Trade initiatives into Asia.[5]
Hospitality
Di Pietro was a Director of the Sovereign Hotel Group from 2007 to 2010,[6] whose flagship business was Federation Square’s Transport Hotel, Taxi Dining Room and Transit Cocktail Lounge.
Melbourne Victory FC
![](../I/m/Melbourne_Victory_Chairman_Anthony_Di_Pietro_with_Melbourne_Victory_coach_Kevin_Muscat.jpg)
Di Pietro was appointed to the Board of Melbourne Victory FC in 2006 during its formative years and became chairman in January 2011. Di Pietro oversaw a number of key achievements, including 2017–18 Championship, making Melbourne Victory FC the most successful club in A-League history and the only club to have won three Premiership and four Championship titles, as well as winning the FFA Cup title in 2015.[7]
Di Pietro oversaw the visit of English Premier League heavyweight Liverpool F.C. to Melbourne in July 2013. The game attracted a record crowd for a football (soccer) match of 95,446 people at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.[8]
Di Pietro has been a strong voice on football hooliganism, saying fans "safety and enjoyment must be upheld at all times".[9]
In February 2017, Di Pietro spoke publicly regarding A-league expansion, governance and broadcast distribution.[10] Di Pietro highlighted that the time for change was 'now upon us and decisions made now will affect the future of football in Australia in the years to come'.[11][12]
References
- Di Pietro, Anthony (November 2013). "Be prepared for change". Insights: Melbourne Business and Economics. The University of Melbourne, Faculty of Business & Economics. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2014.
- "Premier Fruits Group ripe for expansion". The Australian. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
- Goodwin, Sandra. "Victorian tomato grower joins Premier Group". News Ltd. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
- Thistleton, Rebecca. "Tomato growers sign deal for all seasons". Retrieved 3 September 2012.
- Stensholt, John. "Di Pietro encourages food industry to think big". Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- Wilmot, Ben. "Hotel Investors Pour In". Highbeam Research. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2007.
- "Victory's historic FFA Cup Final triumph". FFA Cup. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- Hogan, Jesse. "Victory wave on sea of Red". The Age. Retrieved 25 July 2013.
- Lynch, Michael. "Melbourne Victory chairman blasts 'alleged' fans". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
- Windley, Matt (11 February 2017). "Melbourne Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro says FFA should consult clubs on A-League expansion". Retrieved 11 February 2017.
- Lynch, Michael (11 February 2017). "Melbourne Victory chairman Anthony Di Pietro blasts FFA bosses". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- "South Melbourne extend olive branch to Victory". 13 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017.