New Regulatory Board appointed

Four new members have been appointed to complete cricket’s Regulatory Board, the independent body established as part of the game’s response to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report.

The Regulatory Board has two roles:

• To oversee the Cricket Regulator, the new investigation and prosecution unit established in December 2023
• To scrutinise and advise the ECB Board on cricket’s policy, approach and legislation in regulatory and integrity matters across the game.

The Regulatory Board is chaired by Nic Coward, and focuses on Anti-Corruption, Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Doping, Safeguarding, General Misconduct, Agency activity, and health and safety.

The four new members joining the Regulatory Board are:

Dr Arun Thiyagarajan, currently Global Healthcare Transformation Director for BUPA. Previous positions include Managing Director for BUPA UK's Health Clinics, and Medical Director. He is the Responsible Officer for BUPA UK.

Helen Stephenson CBE, CEO of the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Previously Director of Early Years and Childcare at the Department for Education, and in the Cabinet Office as Director of the Office for Civil Society and Government Innovation Group, and the Big Lottery Fund where she was Head of Strategic Policy and Partnerships. Helen is a board member of the National Lottery Community Fund, previously on the Board of the Big Society Trust, and Chair of National Childbirth Trust.

Dr Priya Singh, Chair of National Council for Voluntary Organisations and of NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board, and an executive director at the Society for Assistance of Medical Families. Priya has a background in general medical practice, and as a specialist in medical law, ethics, risk and safety, and was responsible at the Medical Protection Society for professional services to 290,000 health professionals around the world. Previously Deputy Chair of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, a member of the London Policing Ethics Panel, and an associate with Working With Cancer.

Suzanne Jacob OBE, Chief Executive of SafeLives from 2017 to recently, and a trustee of Crimestoppers UK. Two decades of experience working in safeguarding, vulnerability, and support for people who have had adverse experiences linked to crime and discrimination. Suzanne had a number of roles at the Home Office, including intelligence and security for the London 2012 Olympics. She has also worked in a voluntary capacity for Victim Support.

They join the following:

Nic Coward (Chair) has been chair or CEO of national governing bodies of football and golf, horseracing and athletics. Previously General Secretary of the Premier League, he continues to advise sports and entertainment businesses across the world, and chairs a number of companies and representative organisations.

Kathryn Richardson is General Counsel of Paramount's UK television and streaming business which includes Channel 5, previously Head of Commercial Rights & Business Affairs at the BBC. She is also a director of YouView and the Creative Diversity Network, and a Level 2 cricket coach.

Jerry Cope was Group Managing Director of Royal Mail, Chair of both Kingston and London South Bank Universities, Chair of the Prison Service and NHS Pay Review bodies, and Chair of the Croydon Health Alliance. Heavily involved in bridge and other sports, he was also chair of a leadership consultancy to the private and public sectors before its sale to a listed company.

Rajesh Pillai KC is a King’s Counsel specialising in complex commercial litigation and international arbitration, and regulatory matters. Rajesh is also New York and BVI bar qualified.

Jim Wood is a former chair of Devon Cricket and the Recreational Assembly, as well as the ECB Board. In his professional career, he was deeply involved in social care, with a particular specialism in safeguarding.

Regulatory Board Chair Nic Coward said: “The Regulatory Board has important roles to play for the game. I’m delighted that following an open recruitment process we have been able to appoint such a strong Board, with such great experience and from many different backgrounds and sectors to work with the executive team and people from across the game.”

Notes to editors

About The Cricket Regulator

• Established in December 2023 as part of the response to the Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket (ICEC), the Cricket Regulator was set up to be the ring-fenced executive team responsible for ensuring effective education programmes are in place; to have best practice monitoring, intelligence, and compliance programmes; to investigate alleged breaches and to prosecute where considered appropriate.
• The Cricket Regulator focuses on Anti-Corruption, Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Doping, General Misconduct, Safeguarding, and Agency activity in the professional game, as well as other designated levels of organised cricket. Safeguarding and Anti-Discrimination also involves working with other organisations across the recreational game.
• Dave Lewis, who spent 30 years as a police officer and retired as Deputy Chief Constable of Dorset Police in 2020, was appointed as Interim Director of the Cricket Regulator last year. He has been tasked with setting up the Cricket Regulator, with the permanent position to be appointed later this year through open recruitment. He reports into Nic Coward, independent Chair of the Regulatory Board, and not through to the ECB Board and executive.

About the Regulatory Board

• The Regulatory Board has two roles:
  • To oversee the Cricket Regulator, the new investigation and prosecution unit established in December 2023
  • To scrutinise and advise the ECB Board on cricket’s policy, approach and legislation in regulatory and integrity matters across the game on matters including Anti-Corruption, Anti-Discrimination, Anti-Doping, Safeguarding, General Misconduct, player registration and agency activity, and health and safety.
• All members are independent of the ECB and regulated organisations.