Former chief executive of the Australian Football League, Andrew Demetriou has received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Victoria’s La Trobe University.
The La Trobe graduate was awarded the honoris causa at a recent graduation, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to sports management and Australian society.
“Andrew gave a rousing speech to our graduates, in which he talked about the values instilled in him by his Cypriot parents, especially the notion of creating a lasting legacy for the community by leaving things better than you find them,” wrote Professor John Dewar, vice chancellor and president of La Trobe University.
“He is young to be a retired CEO, and will undoubtedly continue to make a significant contribution to the Australian community by other means.”
Demetriou completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Education at the university, while playing for North Melbourne Football Club in the 1980s.
He went on to work as a secondary school teacher for a short period, before working in a variety of roles and eventually going on to become CEO of the AFL, Australia’s largest sporting body.