Former NRL boss Greenberg chosen for cricket’s top job

Todd Greenberg has been unveiled as Cricket Australia’s new chief executive after the board made its final decision on Nick Hockley’s replacement.

As reported by this masthead on Monday, former NRL chief executive and current Australian Cricketers’ Association chief Greenberg was the successful applicant for the role. Three candidates made the final interview stage of a global search run by recruiting firm Spencer Stuart.

Australian Cricketers’ Association boss Todd Greenberg (right) with former fast bowler Brett Lee.Credit: Getty Images

The others included one Australian-based senior executive and one candidate based overseas. All three candidates were men.

The Cricket Australia board, chaired by former NSW premier Mike Baird, had a final call to confirm the decision for Greenberg on Sunday night.

“This is an extremely exciting time for cricket with the rapid growth of the game across the globe creating fantastic opportunities, while also presenting some challenges to ensure Australian cricket retains its position at the very peak of the game,” Greenberg said.

“Thanks to the work of the current administration, the game has strong fundamentals in place. I want to ensure we build on this momentum so Australian cricket continues to thrive – from local parks to the nation’s biggest stadiums.

“I’m grateful to all those at the Australian Cricketers’ Association, where we formed positive and productive partnerships across the game, and I look forward to continuing and enriching these relationships for the betterment of cricket.”

State association chairs, who have been kept in the loop about the process by Baird throughout, had a conference call with Cricket Australia late on Monday afternoon to inform them of the decision.

“Todd will bring enormous experience to the role from his time leading the National Rugby League and his current position as CEO of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, as well as his time in club and stadium management,” Baird said.

“He is also a renowned driver of commercial growth and innovation, such as bringing the State of Origin to Melbourne and introducing the NRLW.

“We are entering a period of great opportunity and the recruitment panel and CA Board was enormously impressed by Todd’s passion for cricket and his vision to build on the achievements of the past few years and continue the game’s growth.”

Last week’s Perth Test match took place against a backdrop of final interviews and deliberations, although Greenberg had long been considered the frontrunner.

He was conspicuous in his absence from Perth for the game, and also did not appear for his usual radio interview on the SEN network on the third morning of the game. CA chief executive Hockley did fulfil his customary spot before day two. Baird spoke to ABC radio on day one.

Hockley has committed to staying on until the end of the season in March. This masthead revealed his decision to leave the job in August.

Among Cricket Australia stipulations for Hockley’s successor include that the new CEO be based in Melbourne, to be closely connected to the governing body’s head office in Jolimont.

One of Greenberg’s other strong suits is his capability as an articulate front person for cricket in Australia, a skill that will be more vital as the game gets increasingly complicated to follow amid the proliferation of overseas Twenty20 leagues.

That capacity was demonstrated as early as May 2021, when he cut a composed figure alongside Hockley as the pair discussed the evacuation of Australia’s cohort of Indian Premier League players from India to the Maldives during a COVID-19 outbreak.

Outgoing CEO Nick Hockley (right) with former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.Credit: Getty Images

Hockley, who took on the job in difficult circumstances after the departure of predecessor Kevin Roberts at the height of the pandemic in 2020, has remained based in Sydney throughout his tenure, with frequent visits to Melbourne.

Greenberg, who played grade cricket in Sydney and worked for Cricket NSW before moving into rugby league, was Canterbury Bulldogs chief executive before he took on the NRL’s top job, replacing David Smith and presiding over the league for four years.

His tenure ended in early 2020, when Nine, owner of this masthead, criticised the NRL’s management and effectively locked Greenberg out of future broadcast rights talks.

NRL chairman Peter V’landys stepped in, becoming perhaps the highest profile sports administrator in Australia, while Greenberg moved to his current role with the cricketers’ union, where he has overseen a period of industrial relations peace in cricket.

In his NRL roles, Greenberg worked closely with Baird when he was NSW premier, and the pair have enjoyed a friendly relationship– epitomised by how the most recent players’ pay deal was negotiated without public mudslinging.

Recently, Greenberg called for an independent review into how the women’s game was run in Australia following revelations about the former Victoria coach Dulip Samaraweera.

While other sports such as the AFL have previously appointed a players’ association chief to the top job – such as Gillon McLachlan’s predecessor Andrew Demetriou – cricket has tended to a more conservative position.

Greenberg has made a point of looking at the overall picture in his role and has been a conspicuous presence on overseas tours such as the drought-breaking trip to Pakistan in 2022 and Test tours of India and England last year.

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