Shorts: ECB, Csm, Isc

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced that Leshia Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer of Cricket Wales, will join the company as the new Managing Director, Recreational Game.

The new role succeeds that of Director of Participation and Growth and will see Hawkins become a member of the ECB Leadership Group.

Hawkins will be tasked with ensuring an integrated approach across England and Wales with regards to the delivery of the Participation & Growth strategy.

The role will see Hawkins lead on ‘further strengthening relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders across the recreational game – including Cricket Boards, County Cricket Foundations and Charity partners – to ensure that resources are efficiently utilised and that every region is supported to deliver recreational cricket to the best of its ability across its communities.’

She will also support the new Recreational Game Committee (RGC), which has responsibility to provide strategic advice to the ECB Board in relation to recreational cricket.

Richard Gould, Chief Executive Officer of the ECB, said, “We’re delighted to be able to bring Leshia into our team to lead such a crucial area of the game.

“There were a number of very capable candidates and she was the outstanding choice. The whole game will benefit from her expertise, her experience and her enthusiasm to take cricket forward.

“We know that cricket can have a vital social impact, and by supporting inclusive recreational cricket communities we can both bring more people into the game and also help sustain the future of the sport.”

Leshia Hawkins, Managing Director of the ECB, Recreational Game, added, “I am extremely proud to have been asked to take on this role, especially at such a critical moment for our sport. I am acutely cognisant of the challenges ahead, but I also see enormous opportunities for the recreational game to further grow its reach and relevance, and to underpin all of cricket’s objectives in the coming years.

“While I am, of course, very sad to be leaving a job, team – and country – that I adore, I know the game in Wales will continue to flourish as it has, despite the myriad external challenges, over the last four years.

“I feel deeply privileged to be taking up this new post, and I look forward to playing the fullest possible role I can to ensure that cricket achieves its goal of becoming the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales.”

Kelly Cooke has joined joins CSM Sport & Entertainment as Partnership Development Director in the rights sales team.

Cooke will work with rights holders such as The British & Irish Lions and Six Nations Rugby Ltd.

Cooke has previously worked in sports sponsorship for over 11 years, getting her start in native Vancouver, Canada with the local NHL team.

She moved to the UK in 2018 to continue to pursue her passion of working in sport, where she did a brief stint at AEG before moving on to Formula E, and most recently worked as Head of Sponsorship at United Rugby Championship.

International Sports Consulting has recruited the Women’s Super League (WSL) most capped player Kerys Harrop as its Head of Women’s Football.

Nick Robinson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of International Sports Consulting, said, “Having got to know Kerys over the last year we found a natural synergy between her personal goals, values and experience, and what we’re building at ISC. I look forward to growing the Women’s Division alongside Kerys and helping female players get the recognition they deserve.”

Kerys Harrop, newly appoint Head of Women’s Football at International Sports Consulting, added, “I am really excited to be joining ISC as the Women’s Football Lead. With my playing experience in the WSL and network I have developed in the women’s game, it is a great opportunity for me to grow the women’s division. I look forward to working for an agency that shares the same values and passion as me to help female footballers in their journey on and off the pitch!”

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