The International Cricket Council is expected to appoint a new female Independent Director during its upcoming Board meetings in Edinburgh, filling a position that has remained vacant since 2024. The appointment would bring an end to a vacancy that has existed since the completion of Indra Nooyi‘s tenure and complete a key governance process within the organisation. According to an exclusive report by Cricket Financial Journal’s Tristan Lavalette, the announcement is anticipated as part of a series of Board developments that could reshape the ICC’s leadership structure.
The appointment would mark the first time the role has been filled since former PepsiCo Chair and Chief Executive Officer Indra Nooyi completed her period of service on the ICC Board. Nooyi became the ICC’s inaugural female Independent Director in 2018 and held the position for six years before her tenure concluded in 2024.
Vacancy set to be filled after extended wait
The role has remained unoccupied for almost two years despite its importance within the ICC’s governance framework. As previously reported by cricexec, the ICC began the search for a successor following Nooyi’s departure, with the Board seeking a candidate capable of contributing both independent oversight and broader strategic expertise.
The appointment carries significance beyond Board composition. Under ICC governance rules, the organisation is required to elect a female individual who satisfies the Director Eligibility Criteria to represent interests relating to equality, diversity, and inclusivity in cricket through the Independent Director position.
Independent Director plays a key governance role
As previously reported by cricexec, the Independent Director serves as a full member of the ICC Board and is selected following recommendations from the Nominations Committee. The position is initially appointed for a two-year term and also carries voting rights in key governance matters, including leadership decisions.
The search for a successor to Nooyi has attracted attention because of the profile and influence associated with the role. During her tenure, Nooyi brought extensive corporate leadership experience to the ICC Board, having established a global reputation as one of the most prominent executives in international business.
Wider Board changes also in focus
The expected appointment comes as attention turns to other potential changes within the ICC Board structure. Associate Member representatives are set to contest elections for three Board positions, with incumbents Mubashshir Usmani, Imran Khwaja, and Mahinda Vallipuram among those seeking to retain their seats.
The ICC’s first quarterly meetings of 2026 had originally been scheduled to take place in Doha earlier in the year before being postponed. With Board members now gathering in Edinburgh, the expected appointment of a new female Independent Director would close one of the longest-running vacancies within the organisation’s governance structure and complete a process that began following Nooyi’s departure in 2024.
