Dr Lachlan Henderson has been elected as the new chair of the board of directors of Cricket Australia (CA).
Dr Henderson, who will commence immediately, signalled his first priorities would be ensuring a strong, sustainable financial future for cricket, increased participation, particularly among girls and women, improved consultation with state and territory chairs and all stakeholders, and continuing to drive high standards of behaviour across the game.
The appointment follows a thorough process that involved a leading recruitment firm and considered a range of internal and external candidates, a press release from Cricket Australia said.
It included consultation with the boards of all state and territory cricket associations, which were invited to provide feedback on suitable candidates and their views regarding the requirements of the role.
Following interviews with a short-list of candidates, the CA board was unanimous in its decision to elect Dr Henderson as chair.
All state and territory chairs expressed their support for Dr Henderson’s election.
Dr Henderson has extensive experience in cricket, including having played in state junior teams for WA and first grade in Perth, been chair of the Western Australian Cricket Association and a director at CA for the past three years.
During his time with WA Cricket, Dr Henderson played a significant role in developing strategies to drive growth in the game, including the development of Perth Stadium and the WACA Ground Improvement Project.
He is a highly successful executive, having been Group Chief Executive of Epworth HealthCare since 2017 and working in the healthcare industry for the past 30 years, including 20 years in corporate leadership roles.
Richard Freudenstein will step down as interim chair with immediate effect. Mr Freudenstein, who has been interim chair since October last year, will remain on the CA board as a director.
As part of the ongoing board renewal process, the Cricket Australia nominations committee (comprising representatives of the CA board and state chairs) will commence the search for a new independent director.
Freudenstein said, “I am delighted that Lachlan has been elected chair and would like to congratulate him on his appointment.
“Lachlan’s extensive cricket administrative experience and impressive business background, leadership qualities, financial experience and deep understanding of the game ensures that cricket has a new chair who will continue to build unity, trust and respect across all levels of our national sport.
“He brings a combination of fresh ideas, a clear plan and broad experience together with continuity to the position, having served as a CA director for the past three years.
“The short-list of candidates for this role was outstanding but it was the unanimous opinion of the CA board that Lachlan was best suited to be our next chair.”
Dr Henderson said: “I would like to thank Richard, the other CA directors and the state chairs and boards for their support.
“It is a privilege and honour to be elected chair and serve our national sport.
“I’m really excited by the opportunities ahead. The CA board is relatively new, with seven of the nine members having been on the board for less than three and a half years, and the imminent appointment of a new independent director will bring further fresh ideas and perspectives to the board.
“My love of cricket began as a kid growing up in Perth and the game has always been a big part of my life, as a player, through my involvement with WA Cricket, the board of Cricket Australia and now as the elected chair.
“I’m looking forward to working closely with our states and territory cricket chairs and associations, the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), our players and our partners, on how we unite and work together to ensure cricket continues to thrive into the future as Australia’s favourite sport.
“As chair, my aim is to ensure the integrity and growth of the game in Australia with strong governance embedded at Cricket Australia and reflected in all levels of cricket, from elite teams to community clubs.
“Among my other main priorities will be a focus on a strong, sustainable financial future for the game and building on the growth in our participation rates, particularly among girls and women, and our multi-cultural communities.”
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