Nick Hockley Named Cricket Australia CEO

Cricket Australia have formally appointed Nick Hockley as chief executive after he spent 11 months working in the role on an interim basis.

Hockley stepped into the role after serving as CEO of the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia just before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement today, Hockley said leading Cricket Australia “is the greatest privilege” of his working life.

“As Australia’s national sport, cricket is at the heart of our national and cultural identity,” Hockley said.

“I am under no illusion about the importance of cricket to the lives of so many Australians, nor the magnitude and responsibility of this role.

“I am committed to doing all I can to making a positive contribution to the game and the community.

“Over the past 12 months, I have learnt first-hand about the breadth, scale and importance of the role.

“My approach has been and will continue to be to bring people across the game together, as I believe this is fundamental to achieving our full potential.

“It has been extremely rewarding to be part of CA, State and Territory Associations and the Australian Cricketers’ Association working together like never before over the past 12 months, to overcome the challenges presented by COVID-19 and deliver a summer for the ages.

“I look forward to building on this momentum and playing my role in deepening those relationships further, as well as playing a leading role in growing the game internationally alongside fellow ICC members.

“From community cricket to the international arena, Australian cricket is in excellent shape, due to the hard work and dedication of thousands of volunteers, coaches, players, match officials and employees across the country, all of whom are an inspiration to me.

“I am extremely grateful for the support and trust of our partners and the millions of fans in Australia and around the world who cheer on our teams.

“We are committed to being an organisation which you can be proud of and a sport where everyone belongs,” he said.

In an exclusive with Ministry of Sport earlier this year, Hockley said Cricket Australia had to tackle the challenges of COVID-19 upon his interim appointment last year.

“It’s been a huge amount of work for everyone across Australian cricket, our partners, and our venues,” Hockley told Ministry of Sport.

“It’s required a lot of agility, a lot of problem solving, a lot of support from a lot of different organisations.

“Ultimately, the fact we’ve been able to play a full summer has been a real source of optimism and hope that we’re getting back some level of normality,” he told Ministry of Sport.

Hockley has also been instrumental in creating new partnerships with Vodafone and Dettol as well as gaining continued support from Qantas.