Tanni Grey-Thompson named Yorkshire co-chair
Jan 19, 2023
London [UK[, January 19 : Yorkshire has appointed Tanni Grey-Thompson as co-chair to help with the club's transition after Kamlesh Patel said he would be stepping down from his position at the AGM in March.
Azeem Rafiq's revelations concerning institutional racism at the club led to the appointment of six people to the Yorkshire board in May 2022, including Grey-Thompson, an 11-time Paralympic gold medalist and cross-bench peer in the House of Lords.
Her selection as co-chair will ensure continuity after Patel retires as she is already a non-executive director and has agreed to serve in the position in an acting capacity until a replacement is named.
The Board will be working with a leading international executive search firm to conduct a fair, thorough and robust recruitment process to identify an appropriate candidate. The process is open to both internal and external candidates.
YCCC is committed to continuing to deliver positive changes in line with the values and standards established by Patel and the Board.
Kamlesh Patel, Chair of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, said, "Since arriving at the Club I have been driven by a desire to learn from the past and make Yorkshire a benchmark of cohesion and togetherness, ensuring it is an inclusive home for all who play for and support us, now and in the future. The process that we have established will ensure we are ideally placed to find a successor who can take on this responsibility and continue to drive our vision forward, building on the progress we have made over the last year."
Patel expressed his gratitude towards the Board and Tanni Grey-Thompson for agreeing to share the responsibility.
"I am grateful to the Board, and in particular Tanni Grey-Thompson for agreeing to be part of a smooth handover process. It has been a pleasure working alongside such an experienced and committed leadership team, and I know that all are committed to our mission to get this Club back to where it deserves to be, both on and off the field," concluded Patel as read in a statement released by Yorkshire Cricket Club.
