Cricket Scotland names Fitzboyden as interim chief executive

Cricket Scotland has announced the appointment of Pete Fitzboyden as interim chief executive. Fitzboyden joins on a six-month contract and replaces Gordon Arthur with immediate effect, after Arthur announced his intention to step down earlier this year.

Fitzboyden is a former chief executive of London Sport, and has served in similar interim roles at Badminton England and Cycling UK. His most recent role was as a consultant working on governance standards for the Rugby Football Union.

His arrival comes at a time of upheaval at Cricket Scotland, which was last year placed into special measures after a damning report into racism. The board is currently without a chair, following Anjan Luthra's resignation after just six months in the role, and there has been criticism on both sides over plans to increase diversity in the Scottish game.

"I am delighted to be joining Cricket Scotland during this important time for the sport," Fitzboyden said.

"There remains a great deal of work to be done to build on the progress to date and deliver on our commitments to anti-racism and EDI within the sport, whilst continuing to rebuild trust within the Scottish cricketing community. I am also keen to support the ongoing enhancement of Cricket Scotland as an organisation, to ensure it flourishes for years to come.

"We are about to begin an exciting domestic cricket season, while our men's and women's national squads have crucial World Cup qualifying campaigns on the horizon. It promises to be an extremely busy summer, and I am really looking forward to getting out and about around the country to meet people from all communities who share my love of cricket."

Cricket Scotland has also brought in Kash Taank as its head of EDI, and Declan Ritchie as conduct in sport manager. The governing body said it is close to appointing a head of "Changing the Boundaries", in a specialised role named after the racism report published in 2022.

The process of hiring a permanent chief executive will begin during the summer, with a view to filling the role by December 1, 2023.