​Baroness Amos appointed as ECB Independent Non-Executive Director

Baroness Valerie Amos is to join the ECB Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Vastly experienced in public service, education and charitable roles, Valerie Amos has served as a Cabinet Minister and High Commissioner to Australia, has led two major university institutions, and spent five years as Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs at the United Nations. She is a member of the House of Lords, and its former leader.

Born in Guyana, she is a passionate and lifelong cricket fan and has committed her career to addressing issues of equality and social injustice. She currently sits on the Board of a number of foundations alongside her position as Master of University College Oxford.

Ian Watmore, ECB Chair, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to appoint to the Board someone with the exceptional experience and wealth of knowledge and expertise that Baroness Amos brings with her.

“She is a true cricket fan who really understands the power of sport for good. She also brings with her important insights and challenge on leadership and inclusion which will help us as we work to ensure cricket is a game for everyone.”

Valerie Amos said: “Cricket has been part of my life since I was a child. It’s something we always enjoyed and shared as a family, so I am really looking forward to being able to contribute to the sport by joining the Board.

“This is a crucial time for sport around the world given the impacts of the pandemic, and I believe cricket has a vital role to play because of its ability to bring people together. It’s fun but it’s also about team work and a sense of community. By realising the vision of making cricket a game for everyone we can ensure that more people enjoy the benefits of it.”

Cricket Non-Executive Directors Alan Dickinson and Barry O’Brien, and Senior Independent Non-Executive Director Brenda Trenowden, have all been reappointed for three-year terms, while Non-Executive Director Jim Wood has been appointed for a further two-year term, when he reaches the nine-year limit.

The appointments will be ratified at the ECB AGM on Tuesday.

ends

Notes to editors

Biography

Baroness Valerie Amos is a highly accomplished international leader. She served in the Cabinet first as Secretary of State for International Development in 2003 and then as Leader of the House of Lords. She then became Britain’s High Commissioner to Australia before going on to work as Under Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs at the United Nations from 2010 until 2015, championing the needs of those affected by conflict and natural disasters around the world.

She was Director, SOAS University of London, from 2015-2020 and now sits on the Board of a number of foundations alongside her position as Master of University College Oxford which she took up in 2020.

Her work has been instrumental in furthering equality across the globe and this was recognised in 2016 when she was honoured for her distinguished record of public and international service and was made a Companion of Honour.

As a life-long cricket fan, she has a genuine love for the game and is keen to use her passion to help deliver change.

Once ratified at the AGM, she will join the Board with immediate effect.

The appointment was approved by the ECB Board on the recommendation of the Board Nominations Committee.

The ECB recruited for the role to succeed Delia Bushell, following the completion of her three-year term as an ECB Board member in May.