In a statement on Wednesday afternoon,Hawthorn said that Reeves had told the board he needed “to prioritise his mental health and wellbeing and spend more time with family”.
“Reeves will step down from the role effective immediately due to the personal toll and the need to focus on his wellbeing in what has been a very difficult period for the club,” the statement added.
Ash Klein has been named as acting CEO,with the club to form a subcommittee to handle the search for Reeves’ replacement.
Loading
“Justin is a highly respected sporting executive,which is a reputation built from delivering great results and running sound operations for more than 15 years in AFL football,” Hawks president Andy Gowers said.
“On behalf of the board,I thank Justin for his unwavering commitment to the Hawks over nearly six years,during which there have been some challenging periods that required astute leadership.”
Reeves has been under enormous pressure after the Hawthorn racism investigation. He also faced fierce pressure from the factional issues atHawthorn’s board level that led to a change of president.