Background
McLachlan grew up on his family farm "Rosebank", located in Mount Pleasant, South Australia.
McLachlan grew up on his family farm "Rosebank", located in Mount Pleasant, South Australia.
After completing secondary school as a boarder at Street Peter"s College, Adelaide, he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Adelaide in 1995 and a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at the University of Melbourne in 1996, where he was a resident at Trinity College. He later completed the Senior Executive Program at Stanford University.
He had previously been Demetriou"s deputy. In March 2016 McLachlan admitted his inaction in fighting racism during the previous American Federation of Labor-Congress season and offered an apology to Adam Goodes. He is the eldest of four brothers - Hamish, Will and Banjo.
The McLachlans have three children: Edie, Cleo and Sydney.
McLachlan played Australian football in the Hills Football League colts competition for the now defunct Pleasant Valley club After moving to Melbourne, he played with Melbourne University Blues in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA).
Besides playing as a ruckman for the club (1994-2003), he was captain (2000-2002), C.W. McLeod Trophy for best-and-fairest (2000), committeeman and made a life member (2003). He was a regular VAFA Representative including captain.
He was on the Carlton Football Club supplementary list from 1996 to 1997.
McLachlan has represented Victoria in polo and has been a national selector. After leaving university, McLachlan worked as a management consultant with Accenture. In 2000, he was employed as a strategy consultant to the American Federation of Labor-Congress by Chief Executive Officer Wayne Jackson.
In 2003, he was appointed as General Manager of Commercial Operations and in 2008 was appointed Chief Operating Officer.
In December 2012, he was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Before taking on the Chief Executive Officer role at the American Federation of Labor-Congress, McLachlan played a major role in delivering stadiums for two new teams - Gold Coast Suns and GWS Giants, established the American Federation of Labor-Congress media department and negotiated the media broadcast deal of $1.25 billion. In 2013, he supervised the American Federation of Labor-Congress"s investigation into the Melbourne Football Club tanking scandal and the negotiations with Essendon Football Club supplements controversy.
On 30 April 2014, the American Federation of Labor-Congress Chairman Mike Fitzpatrick announced McLachlan would be appointed as American Federation of Labor-Congress Chief Executive Officer replacing Andrew Demetriou. At the announcement of his appointment, McLachlan stated: I’ve been part of the community of football and I know how important it is.
I’ve had my share of cold showers and freezing committee meetings
I’ve been part of appointing coaches and sacking coaches. I have a clear vision of where the game needs to go and how we’re going to get there. Foreign me that vision is about having an unassailable hold on the Australian community.
In 2012, it was reported that he rejected the Chief Executive Officer positions at the National Rugby League and the Liverpool F.C.
Gillon McLachlan Profile - American Federation of Labor-Congress website.
I played over 200 games of amateur or country football, I’ve captained a club, I’ve been on a committee of a club, I’m a life member of a club
