At the end of January, I finished my time as CEO of New Zealand Cricket (NZC). It was an incredible experience and a privilege to lead the organisation.
The highlights for me are many. It’s easy to just look at the outstanding “on the field” results during my tenure, with the WHITE FERNS winning the T20 World Cup, and the extraordinary success of the BLACKCAPS over the period with a World Cup ODI semi-final appearance, a Champions Trophy Final appearance, and both Test Series and ODI series wins in India for the first time in history. However, the playing side of NZC is just the “shop front window” for what is a world class organisation full of exceptional executive leaders and staff.
During my tenure, NZC had extraordinary financial results. A $2m profit against an expected loss of $7m this last financial year, following an $8m profit in 2024, means NZC has record cash reserve levels and is now in the strongest financial position it has been in its history. We recently signed significant long-term broadcast agreements with Sony in India and Sky in NZ, which are key revenue streams, meaning NZC can be confident of continued strong financial results into the future.
Setting aside the extraordinary on-field and financial results during my time as CEO, the real highlights for me relate to NZC’s people. When I came into the role, I said that I intended to put people at the forefront of everything NZC did, and make NZC a people first organisation. NZC’s recent staff engagement scores showed an incredibly engaged and energised Senior Leadership Team and staff. I leave the organisation in great hands and with the confidence that the organisation will continue to thrive.
There are many standout people who provided support to me both publicly and privately during my time with NZC. While there are too many to mention, I would like to acknowledge and thank former NZC Chair Martin Snedden, current and former NZC Presidents Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Boock, Lesley Murdoch, Debbie Hockley and Mark Greatbatch, and NZC Directors Sarah Beaman, Bill Birnie and Dion Nash, for all their support. I’m also very grateful for the private and public support from the NZC Senior Leadership Team and NZC staff, and the wider cricket network of current and former players.
I now return to being just a WHITE FERNS and BLACKCAPS fan! I had trained myself while CEO to not ride the highs and lows of their results …now I’m going to have rediscover the anxiety that comes with watching the NZ teams as a “nail biting fan”, but also knowing that I have in some small way contributed to the success of those teams, and the success of the organisation that proudly stands behind them and helps them to achieve the incredible results that they do on the world stage.
