Auckland, April 28 : New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has named former international pacer Geoff Allott as its new Chief Executive Officer, with his tenure set to begin on July 1.

A former BlackCaps seamer, who featured in 10 Tests and 31 ODIs between 1996 and 2000, Allott steps into the role with close to 20 years of experience in cricket administration, along with extensive business expertise and strong ties across India and the broader South Asian region.

"Having worn the silver fern as a player, served as General Manager of Cricket, and contributed for over eight years as a board director, I have a deep connection to this organisation and our game. I look forward to working collaboratively with the board, players, staff, member associations, and our commercial partners to build strong relationships, foster a positive and constructive culture, and deliver outstanding results both on and off the field,"Allott qas quoted by NZC in a release.

Allottâ??s association with cricket governance runs deep. He was among the founding members of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association in 2002, later served on the Canterbury Cricket board from 2011 to 2013, and joined the NZC board in 2013.

Over an eight-year stint as a director, he contributed significantly before stepping down in 2021 as part of board rotation. His contributions were recognised with NZC Life Membership in 2022.

He becomes the sixth CEO in NZCâ??s history, succeeding Scott Weenink, who stepped down in December. Previous occupants of the role include Chris Doig, Martin Snedden, Justin Vaughan, and David White. Notably, Allott has prior executive experience at NZC, having served as General Manager of Cricket from 2008 to 2010.

During his time as a director, Allott also played a supporting role in Sarah Beamanâ??s influential 2016 Women and Cricket Report, and he continues to advocate strongly for the advancement of womenâ??s and girlsâ?? cricket both in New Zealand and globally.

His broad understanding of the sport spans formats, from Test cricket to limited-overs and franchise leagues, while his strong international connections position him well to meet the demands of the role.

He emphasised that unity and collaboration would be central to his leadership approach, stating, â??By strengthening relationships through all levels of the game here, we can ensure New Zealand cricket remains competitive, sustainable, and thriving at every level.â??

NZC Chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon praised the appointment, highlighting Allottâ??s unique blend of skills and experience.

â??Geoff brings a rare and highly-relevant combination of attributes to the role: deep cricket expertise as a former New Zealand representative, invaluable experience within NZC as former General Manager of Cricket and Board member, and strong commercial leadership as Executive Director of his company QualityNZ,â?? she said.

â??We're confident his playing background, institutional knowledge, business acumen, and international outlook make him exceptionally well placed to lead NZC through the next phase of growth and development. On behalf of the Board, I welcome Geoff and wish him every success. We're confident he'll be a strong, collaborative leader who will work closely with all stakeholders to deliver an exciting future for New Zealand cricket,â?? she added.

/IANS