ENGLAND and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has welcomed Ian Watmore into the role of Chair, and he begins his tenure by announcing a series of Board updates.

Watmore was officially confirmed as Chair at the ECB Annual General Meeting (AGM) in June.#

Following a handover and onboarding process, he began the role today, succeeding Colin Graves CBE after a five-year tenure which saw England lift two ODI ICC Cricket World Cups.

The Board updates announced today are the result of a consultation between the Board and Executive Management Team.

They are designed to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Lord Kamlesh Patel as Senior Independent Director and Deputy Chair.

They are also hoped to 'further enhance the Board’s cricket, finance, governance, and strategic capacity'.

The updates to the ECB Board include:

• Brenda Trenowden will take over as the Board’s Senior Independent Director. She will also chair the expanded Environmental, Social and Governance sub-committee

• Barry O’Brien will take over as Deputy Chair and will also act as the Alternate Director to represent the ECB on the ICC Board when required

• Alan Dickinson will chair an enhanced Finance, Audit and Risk sub-committee of the Board

• A process to recruit a new Independent Director will commence during September with new appointments being made by November 1

• Derek Brewer’s term as Board Advisor on Network Stakeholders will be extended to the 2021 AGM

In addition, Sir Andrew Strauss has accepted an invitation to attend Board meetings in a non-voting capacity. He, along with former England cricketer and Board member, Lucy Pearson, deepen the provision of first-hand top-level cricket input for the men’s and women’s games.

Today also marks an end to Senior Independent Director Lord Kamlesh Patel’s five-year tenure on the Board. During this time, Lord Patel was involved in a number of significant changes, most notably the creation of the 2018 action plan to engage South Asian audiences, the establishment of the ECB’s Governance Committee and his key contributions to the creation of the Inspiring Generations strategy.

Watmore said: “I’m delighted to officially start my role as Chair today following a really informative and consultative onboarding process led by Tom Harrison and his team.

"I am grateful to everyone I have met at the ECB, the First Class Counties and the Recreational Game for their welcome, help and advice. It is a privilege to succeed outgoing Chair, Colin Graves, and I would like to thank him for his tremendous achievements in the role.

“I look forward to working with those taking on new roles and responsibilities.

"I am also keen to draw further on the immense skills and experiences of all the Board members as we continue to allocate leadership and sponsorship responsibilities in line with the priority areas for Inspiring Generations.”

Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer said: “It is not easy to start a new role under the current COVID circumstances but I have no doubt that he will hit the ground running and today’s announcement evidences his dedication to deepening the capacity and strength of the ECB Board.

“Today, also marks the end of Colin Graves’s tenure. Colin’s contributions to cricket have been immense over the course of his career. From significant governance reforms to paving the way for The Hundred, working with Colin has been a huge privilege.

“I’d also like to express my gratitude to Lord Kamlesh Patel who retires from the ECB Board today. His passion for improving diversity in cricket, helping those from disadvantaged communities and bettering the mental health of young people, amongst many other achievements, is unsurpassed by very few. I wish them both well for the future.”