St Kilda's chief operating officer Simon Lethlean at Saints training in July 2020. Picture: AFL Photos

FORMER AFL football boss Simon Lethlean will replace Matt Finnis as St Kilda's chief executive officer at the end of the 2022 season. 

Lethlean, who is currently the Saints' chief operating officer, will take the top job at Moorabbin after Finnis decided it was time to step away after eight years as CEO. 

Lethlean joined the Saints in December 2017 as general manager of football operations, before being promoted to chief operating officer in 2019. 

Prior to his time at St Kilda, Lethlean was a long-time member of the AFL executive, rising to GM of football operations before resigning in July 2017 after reports surfaced of "inappropriate relationships".

St Kilda CEO Matt Finnis chats to coach Brett Ratten at the club's official photo day on February 16, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

Finnis said that the club had one eye on its future leadership when it recruited Lethlean to join the club. 

"When approaching Simon to become our general manager of football, we knew that his knowledge of the game, commercial acumen and incredible work ethic was a unique combination which would position him well to lead the club at some time in the future," he said.

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“Since then, Simon has added a deep passion for St Kilda and understanding of the fabric of our club, which I’m confident will underpin the club's prosperity under his leadership.”

St Kilda president Andrew Bassat said the club owed Finnis "an enormous debt of gratitude" for his leadership since taking the reins in 2014. 

Under Finnis' leadership, the Saints have returned to the spiritual home at Moorabbin in a redeveloped training and administration base that includes the recently opened Danny Frawley Centre, and boosted membership and sponsorship levels. 

The Frawley family unveils a portrait of Danny Frawley at the launch of the Danny Frawley Centre on March 1, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

"Matt has established a new level of respect in and around the St Kilda Football Club - the respect we have for ourselves, the respect of the community in which we operate, and the respect of our members and supporters," Bassat said. 

Lethlean thanked Finnis and the St Kilda board for their support. 

"I'm incredibly optimistic about the journey that we're on here at St Kilda, and our supporters should know that I’ll be leaving no stone unturned in our mission to deliver the success they are rightly impatient to enjoy," he said.

"I am looking forward to the 2022 men’s season getting underway, and to continuing to work closely with Matt, our staff and our players to strive for the ultimate prize and the continued growth of the club."