ECB Appoints New Chief Executive Officer
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that Richard Gould will join as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Gould will take up the post at the end of January, moving from his current role as CEO of English Football League (EFL) Championship club Bristol City Football Club.
Gould has extensive experience within the world of sport, specifically cricket, having served as CEO at Somerset County Cricket Club and Surrey County Cricket Club before taking up his current role in 2021.
The Nominations Committee unanimously recommended Gould to the ECB Board who ratified the decision on Friday 21st October.
As CEO, Gould will work to deliver the vision set out by ECB Chair Richard Thompson to make cricket the most inclusive sport in the country.
During Gould’s time at Surrey CCC, he played a significant role in the launch of the ACE Programme in 2020, which is now an independent charity designed to engage a new generation of children and young people from Black communities within the recreational game and talent pathway.
ECB Interim CEO, Clare Connor, who ruled herself out of the running for the position last month, will continue in the role until Mr Gould’s arrival. She has filled the role since Tom Harrison quit in June.
Richard Gould said, “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead our game forward in England and Wales as part of a talented and committed team that encompasses the ECB, every cricket club in the land, all the counties, our partners, sponsors, fans and the army of players and volunteers that support the game in every corner of our country.
“Cricket is a national asset that can be played by all and helps strengthen and enhance communities across the nation. It can inspire the country and provides opportunities for all. But we have also seen the pain suffered by those who have experienced discrimination. We are determined to repair this damage and show that cricket can become the most inclusive and welcoming sport of all.
“I look forward to taking up the role in the new year, but for now will be an armchair fan supporting our men’s team in the T20 World Cup in Australia, whilst the women prepare for their T20 World Cup challenge in February.”
Gould joins at a controversial time for English cricket. The introduction of The Hundred has been contentious, which some questioning the competition’s impact on the wider game and domestic schedule. Gould himself has been a critic of the new format in the past.
The game is also still handling the aftermath of the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal and criticism over a number of ECB redundancies made during the Covid-19 pandemic, despite bosses receiving significant bonuses.
Richard Thompson, ECB Chair, said, “When I joined the ECB, I said that this was a reset moment for our organisation and our sport. Recruiting a CEO who can lead the organisation forwards and deliver on the vision of becoming the UK’s most inclusive sport was one of the first important steps in that. With his outstanding leadership skills and experience of managing transformation, the Nominations Committee felt that Richard Gould was the outstanding candidate.
“I am looking forward to working with Richard to not only bring our game together, but to show how cricket can do so much more in bringing communities together. We will work in a spirit of collaboration and partnership with the whole cricket network to do this.
“I’d also like to express my sincere thanks to Clare Connor who has done an outstanding job as Interim CEO at an incredibly challenging time for the organisation. I look forward to her continuing to play a leading role in growing our game as part of the ECB’s leadership team when Richard joins.”
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