Mike Hesson was involved with Otago cricket for 15 years before taking over as Kenya coach after the team's poor performance in the 2011 World Cup. He took up coaching at an unusually early age of 22, beginning with a seven-year apprenticeship as Otago cricket's director of coaching. He became Otago's assistant coach in 2003 before being promoted to their top job next season. In his six years in charge of Otago, he converted the previously struggling team into one which regularly challenged for titles, and ended their 20 year wait for a trophy by winning the one-day tournament in 2007-08. Hesson took over as Kenya's coach for a two-year term but resigned in May 2012, less than a year after taking up the job, citing security issues that affected his family.

In July 2012, he was named John Wright's replacement as New Zealand's head coach. ESPNcricinfo staff