What a marvelous catch: Jacquie Hey set to become first female director at Cricket Australia - Women's Agenda

What a marvelous catch: Jacquie Hey set to become first female director at Cricket Australia

It’s only taken 107 years, but Cricket Australia is finally set to appoint a woman to its board.

The move comes after a major governance review of Cricket Australia that provided an opening for three new director positions, and follows considerable pressure on the organisation to attract a more diverse group of individuals to the table.

Former Ericsson CEO Jacquie Hey looks set to make the breakthrough after being unanimously nominated at a board meeting on Friday. Her appointment is expected to be confirmed alongside the additions of mining boss David Peever and former NSW cricketer and retail boss Kevin Roberts at Cricket Australia’s annual general meeting later this month.

Hey is a non-executive director on the boards of SBS and the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank. She’s held managing director roles in the UK, Swedan, Ireland and Saudi Arabia, having worked with Ericsson for more than 20 years. She’s also a parent of children who play cricket, experience the board no doubt found valuable.

Hey was one of two women on the seven-person shortlist provided to CA for the three board positions. CA chairman Wally Edwards told the Sydney Morning Herald Hey was not appointed because she is a woman. “She would have got there anyway,” he said.

The 14-person board is undergoing a major revamp following the governance review, and is set to progressively be resized to just nine directors over the next five years.

Another major national sporting body that does not currently have any women on its board is Swimming Australia.

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