Tom Harrison

Tom Harrison's first attempt to pursue a career in cricket won limited rewards. But after a brief playing career, he found far more success in an off-field position and was appointed CEO of the ECB at the start of 2015 aged just 43.

After attending Oundle School and Manchester University, Harrison represented Derbyshire in five first-class and seven List A matches in 1995 and played second XI cricket for Northants and Worcestershire. A left-handed batsman and left-arm medium-pacer, he went on to captain Teddington in the Middlesex Premier League and twice represented Middlesex Cricket Board in List A games.

But it was his impact off the pitch that was to prove more significant. After a spell as the ECB's Head of Marketing from 2003-2006, Harrison became Head of Cricket and a Senior Vice President for sports agency IMG, where he managed the company's media business in the UK and Ireland and oversaw global media rights sales for Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa and the IPL.

He also spent four years in Singapore working for ESPN STAR Sports before landing the senior role at the ECB - he was preferred to Surrey CEO Richard Gould for the position - on the back of his experience selling broadcast rights.

He soon made an impression. After sacking Paul Downton and Peter Moores (the managing director and coach of the England team, respectively), Harrison instigated a review into the effectiveness of the domestic schedule which, despite significant resistance, promised a radical overhaul of the county game.

He continues to play club cricket.
George Dobell