ICC Appoints Ros Rivaz as Independent Director to Drive Global Growth and Governance

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the appointment of Ros Rivaz as an Independent Director to its board. The move is part of a broader institutional effort to strengthen the governing body’s governance framework, respond to rising regulatory scrutiny in sport, and accelerate its global growth strategy.

Strengthening Institutional Governance

The inclusion of an independent director is a critical component of modern sports administration. By incorporating external expertise, the ICC aims to enhance transparency and ensure that decision-making processes remain objective and decoupled from the specific interests of individual member nations, many of which operate under distinct national regulatory and broadcasting regimes.

Independent directors typically provide a layer of professional oversight that helps the board navigate complex regulatory environments and implement corporate governance standards, including those set out in the ICC’s own Constitution and governance framework. This structural reinforcement is essential as the sport manages increasing commercial pressures, integrity risks such as anti-corruption and anti-doping compliance, and evolving regulatory requirements across different jurisdictions.

Rivaz’s appointment also reflects a broader trend across international sporting bodies towards more diverse, skills-based boards. Independent directors are expected to challenge internal assumptions, strengthen board committees overseeing audit, risk and ethics, and provide assurance to governments, sponsors and fans that key decisions on scheduling, events and revenues are taken in the long-term interests of the global game.

Strategic Focus on Global Expansion

Beyond governance, the appointment is specifically aligned with the ICC’s mandate for global growth. The governing body is currently focused on expanding the footprint of cricket beyond its traditional strongholds, targeting new markets to increase participation and viewership worldwide and to align with broader policy goals around sport-for-development and international engagement.

The strategic priorities associated with this role include:

• Developing frameworks for the sport’s expansion into non-traditional regions, with pathways from grassroots participation to elite competition.
• Implementing growth strategies to increase the global accessibility of the game, including through digital broadcasting, shorter formats and inclusive participation policies.
• Aligning governance structures to support the scaling of international competitions, ensuring scheduling, player welfare and commercial rights are managed in a way that is sustainable for member boards and credible with regulators.

This focus on expansion is particularly significant as cricket seeks to solidify its presence in emerging markets and leverage major global events to attract new demographics, ensuring the sport’s long-term sustainability and commercial viability on a global scale. In that context, the presence of a seasoned independent director on the ICC board is intended to provide additional assurance that growth decisions are anchored in sound governance, responsible risk management and accountability to the wider international cricket community.