Anthony De Ceglie, the inaugural chief executive of the Perth Bears, has decided to step down, the rugby league club announced today.

Mr De Ceglie, a former Seven West media executive, was appointed in May 2025 to help put the club together ahead of its entry into the NRL next year as the 18th team in the competition and the first from Western Australia since 1997.

"I'm extremely proud of what the hard-working Perth Bears team has achieved in the past year," Mr De Ceglie said in a statement.

"I have no doubt that the Perth Bears will continue to grow and grow, and become a behemoth of the national sporting stage."

The Perth Bears have not said why Mr De Ceglie is leaving.

It had been reported that the board was seeking to have him replaced.

Mr De Ceglie's decision to leave the club comes after the departure of former head of football David Sharpe, who quit in April.

Club chair Ben Morton thanked Mr De Ceglie.

"I thank Anthony for his leadership of the Perth Bears in our startup phase and we will now turn our attention to the leadership of our organisation as we enter the next phase of our story," he said.

Perth Bears general manager of football Gareth Holmes will act as chief executive until a permanent appointment is made.

Mr De Ceglie was previously the director of news and current affairs at Seven West Media, a role he held after overseeing Western Australia's flagship newspaper.

Channel 7 holds the rights to the AFL, while rival Channel 9 has the rights to the NRL.