Melbourne, Aug 6 : Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley has announced that he will step down after the upcoming season, following nearly 13 years working in Australian cricket, including five as chief executive.

Hockley is expected to step down towards the end of March 2025, or potentially later depending on the process to appoint his successor.

"This was a difficult decision, however, following what promises to be a blockbuster summer and with our five-year strategic plan well progressed, this is the right time to pursue another challenge, while giving the Board plenty of time to find its next CEO to build on the strong foundations now in place.

'This is not the time for goodbyes, as I remain completely focussed on the season ahead and supporting the Board on succession and a smooth transition," he said in a statement.

CA Chair Mike Baird confirmed that Nick had advised the board that next summer would be his final one as CEO.

"As CEO, Nick navigated the sport through a period of unprecedented challenge during the pandemic and has delivered significant growth and stability. Under Nick's leadership, several major deals are now in place - many for the next seven years ' and the game is set up for continued success.

"As Nick says, his full focus is on delivering another successful summer for our fans, players, broadcasters, partners and the whole of Australian Cricket and there will be time to celebrate his legacy and achievements when he steps down from the role next year. The timing of Nick's decision allows the Board to ensure a smooth transition and we will begin the process of finding and appointing his successor shortly," he said.

Hockley was appointed interim CEO of Cricket Australia in June 2020 and then permanent CEO eleven months later. Having navigated the sport through two seasons of the pandemic, under Hockley's leadership CA also reached a new Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Cricketers' Association, which included a 66% uplift in pay for female professional cricketers, and reset the Big Bash on its current growth trajectory.

On the playing side, Hockley has overseen a period of remarkable success for Australia's national teams, including Australia's first tour to Pakistan in 24 years, winning and retaining both the women's and men's Ashes, six ICC trophies including the women's and men's Cricket World Cups (2022 and 2023 respectively), the men's and women's T20 World Cups (2021 and 2023), the World Test Championship in 2023 and Men's Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2024, as well as Commonwealth Games gold in 2022.

Having worked on the organising committee for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games, Hockley joined Australian cricket later that year as General Manager Commercial and Marketing of the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, which was attended by more than 1 million fans and generated more than $1 billion for the Australian and New Zealand economies

Following a brief stint as head of commercial projects, in 2017 Hockley was appointed CEO of the local organising committee for the ICC T20 World Cup 2020, leading the record-breaking Women's T20 World Cup at which 86,174 fans attended the Final at the MCG.

/IANS