28th April 2023
| Mallory Gray
Cricket Wales can today confirm that Jennifer Owen Adams has been recommended for appointment to the Board of Directors of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
As a result of this appointment, as ECB governance arrangements do not allow any Directors to hold positions within their own membership (ie of First Class Counties, Cricket Boards and National Counties), she will sadly be required to step down from her current position as Chair of Cricket Wales and will, therefore, leave her post on 9 May 2023.
Jenn joined the Cricket Wales Board in 2016 and has served as a Director, Senior Director and, most recently, Chair; She was also previously Chair of the EDI sub-committee, and the Board's Safeguarding Lead for a number of years.
Commenting on the news Chief Executive, Leshia Hawkins, said: “Jenn has shown herself not only to be an outstanding and well-respected Director, but also an accomplished and empathetic leader, both in cricket in Wales - and far further afield. This appointment, to the highest office in our game, is testament to her skills and qualities, and the high esteem in which she is clearly held.
"While I am personally very sad to lose her as my Chair, our loss is absolutely cricket's gain.
“On behalf of our Board and the Executive of Cricket Wales, I congratulate Jenn wholeheartedly and thank her for her support, guidance, integrity and drive, which has sparked and resulted in the superb outcomes we are seeing for our game, not only in terms of participation growth, but also our long-standing commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, and our ongoing governance improvements."
Jennifer Owen Adams said; “It is a huge honour to be recommended for appointment to the Board of Directors of the England and Wales Cricket Board, and an opportunity I will relish. There is a lot happening across our game right now and the opportunity to be at the leading edge of how all of cricket develops and thrives is an opportunity of a life time.
"Although terribly exciting, I am sad to be leaving Cricket Wales as Chair; To have led a nation in cricket has been a huge privilege and it has given me the opportunity to work with an outstanding Board, Executive and staff team - and the wonderful ‘team' of clubs, volunteers, players, supporters, and the whole Welsh cricket family who do so much for cricket right across Wales.
"It's time to take that learning and experience to even bigger heights, which is why I am so looking forward to getting 'stuck in' to my new role at the ECB."
The Nominations sub-Committee of the Board of Cricket Wales will meet shortly to discuss arrangements and a proposed process and timeline for the recruitment of a new permanent Chair. In the interim, Senior Director Tim Masters will deputise in the Chair's role, per his mandate and job description.
Cricket Wales also notes - and similarly congratulates - Glamorgan County Cricket Club Chair, Gareth Williams, on his appointment to the ECB Board.