Warwickshire: Colin Povey to retire as Bears chief executive

Edgbaston is a regular Test match ground again with floodlights after their £32m Colin Povey-led reconstruction

Warwickshire chief executive Colin Povey has announced his decision to retire in December after 10 years in charge at Edgbaston.

Povey, 54, succeeded former Warwickshire and England opening batsman Dennis Amiss when he took the senior Bears role in January 2006.

His time at the helm has included the £32m redevelopment of Edgbaston.

He also struck the deal to rebrand the county's Twenty20 team, the Birmingham Bears, two years ago.

"We will shortly begin the search for Colin's successor as chief executive," said county chairman Norman Gascoigne.

"Colin and I have maintained a dialogue in recent months as to his wish to retire from full-time executive responsibilities at the end of the year in order to pursue a wider non-executive director's portfolio.

"His retirement will complete a tenure of almost 10 years at Edgbaston, a decade that has seen significant successful cultural and structural change for the club.

"Our new £32m development is a benchmark for other venue operators to follow and we now have a business model that provides a foundation for a very exciting future.

"Colin's leadership of these changes has been exceptional. For now, Colin will continue to lead the club's senior management team and I know that he is absolutely determined to make sure that Edgbaston stages an exceptional Ashes Test match and finishes 2015 on a high."

Meanwhile, Warwickshire have awarded a new three-year contract to all-rounder Keith Barker.

Leg-spinner Josh Poysden, batsman Andy Umeed and all-rounder Aaron Thomason have also signed new deals.