AFLPA chief Brendon Gale is appointed Chief Executive Officer at Richmond, the club where he played 244 games.
"He brings a wealth of industry experience to the club for which he once played," Richmond president Gary March said.
"The board thought Brendon was the ideal candidate to take over from the strong platform established by outgoing CEO Steven Wright, and continue to restore the club."
AFL Players' Association vice-president Brett Burton says departing chief executive Brendon Gale will be missed after the latter accepted a position as CEO of Richmond.
"It's disappointing to lose Brendon, but we certainly congratulate him in moving on," Burton said.
"Brendon's been in the game for a long period of time. His leadership over the last few years has been outstanding in a number of issues including the collective bargaining agreement and the free agency issue, which is on the table at the moment.
"We wish him the best for his future."