England & Wales Cricket Board names Richard Gould as new chief executive
- Published
Richard Gould entered sports administration after serving in the military as a tank commander
Richard Gould has been named as the new chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Ex-England women's captain Clare Connor has filled the position on an interim basis after Tom Harrison quit in June.
Gould, 52, will step down from his current role with Championship football club Bristol City to formally take over from Connor in January.
"I'm honoured to have been given the opportunity to lead our game forward in England and Wales," he said.
"This is 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.
"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's most recent role was in football but he has a wealth of boardroom experience in county cricket having been chief executive at Somerset from 2005 to 2011 then at Surrey between 2011 and 2021.
Connor ruled herself out of the running for the position on a permanent basis last month, but in an statement from the governing body ECB chairman Richard Thompson indicated she will have a part to play in the organisation.
He added: "I'd like to express my sincere thanks to Clare Connor who has done an outstanding job as interim chief executive at an incredibly challenging time.
"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."
'Determined to repair this damage'
Gould will take over after a turbulent and controversial period for English cricket under Harrison.
In 2017, Harrison oversaw the signing of a £1.1bn TV rights deal with Sky Sports and the BBC that runs until 2024, and England also won the men's and women's 50-over World Cups during his term, in 2019 and 2017 respectively.
But the introduction of The Hundred has been contentious, some questioning its impact on the wider game and domestic schedule.
In 2020 the ECB cut 62 jobs as a result of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, despite managing to fulfil England's fixture list after Covid-19 halted sport across the world. Harrison was heavily criticised the following year when it was reported he and a group of senior executives were to share £2.1m in bonuses.
Harrison also spoke in front of MPs at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee amid the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal which engulfed English cricket last year. During his testimony Harrison said the ECB was "fit for purpose" but apologised to those who had suffered abuse and said "we know we may have let you down".
Gould has vowed to improve the standing of the ECB, saying: "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."
Thompson, who worked alongside Gould at Surrey, added: "When I joined the ECB, I said that this was a reset moment for our organisation and our sport.
"Recruiting a chief executive 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."
Drift off to sleep with Michael Mosley: Take a relaxing sonic journey designed to help you fall asleep
Wild rumour and conspiracy sweep 1980s Ireland: Obscene: The Dublin Scandal narrated by Adrian Dunbar
