NEWLY appointed Port Adelaide CEO Mark Haysman is yet to officially take over the role at Alberton, but already he’s made a big decision.

“My first decision as the chief executive of the Port Adelaide footy club is to jump off the Crows and I’m the newest recruit to the Power,” Haysman said on Tuesday.

“I’m obviously a supporter of the club and I’m very, very excited about what lies ahead and to have the opportunity to be involved with such an outstanding football club.

“Over the years. I’ve really admired the Port Adelaide footy club and all that it stands for and I feel privileged to be leading the footy club as we go forward.”

Haysman will replace outgoing CEO John James, who left the club earlier this year after being headhunted for a job with US funds management group Vanguard.

Haysman, 41, was a ‘known quantity’ at Port Adelaide during his time as the Regional Director of Australian brewing giant Lion Nathan, who has been a strong supporter of SA football.

Haysman, who was selected from a field of 63 applicants nation-wide, said his passion for the football industry was the biggest attraction to his new role.

“Probably, if I sat down as a 20-year-old to think about life and what it would hold for me, I wouldn’t have dared to dream that I might run a brewery and then a footy club,” he said with a laugh.

“To be at 41 and to have had the opportunity to do both, I reckon that’s pretty exciting.

“The timing was right for me. This business is all about brands and people and I’m very passionate about both.

“I’ve got a corporate background, but I’ve also got a footy background too. I live for weekends, like everybody else, and I guess what I do during the week is just between my coaching stints coaching two of my boys’ footy teams.

“I’ve got an enormous passion for the game and I got a couple of teeth on it as young man through my father, Peter’s, involvement with footy.

“I really like a challenge as well and I think there are a lot of challenges here at the footy club.”

One of the immediate challenges facing Haysman and the Port Adelaide football club is dwindling attendances at AAMI Stadium.

“I think there are a couple of challenges in front of us and the biggest one is really connecting our supporters and our members with the club as best we can and to listen to what’s important to them and respond to that,” Haysman said.

“I think here, we have to be really clear on what our brand is and really communicate that well to our members and supporters.

“It’s definitely a challenge around attendances at games, but there’s a lot of work going on at the moment and, as I get myself more into the role, I’ll be keen to really understand that better and work out what we can do to influence that.”

Haysman is the first major appointment at Port Adelaide to come from ‘outside’ the Alberton mould, and the former accountant was confident his external perspective could help the club move forward.

“I don’t have any pre-conceptions about Port Adelaide or what’s right for Port Adelaide. I come here with an open mind and I think I can view the market as a whole and take the best out of what every club has to offer,” he said.

“Hopefully, that brings something to the table and adds to the Port Adelaide feel that’s already here.”

Port Adelaide President Greg Boulton was hopeful Haysman would become a long-serving member of staff.

“CEOs in the AFL have been lasting, on average, four or five years, but we’re really looking for Mark -- and he’s looking too -- to be with us longer than that,” Boulton said.

“You can never predict that, but we think it’s exciting that Mark's come on board with the experience he’s brought with him and we see him as the man to lead a very, very competent team we already have.”