Walters named new Queensland CEO

Queensland have named former television executive Max Walters as the state's new chief executive, replacing the interim CEO, Michael Kasprowicz.

Walters, who has served as managing director of Channel Seven in Brisbane for the past 12 years, also played 13 Sheffield Shield matches for Queensland between 1975 and 1979, making one century.

The Bulls had been left searching for a new CEO earlier this year following the sudden departure of Geoff Cockerill, well before his contract was due to expire. Kasprowicz stepped away temporarily from his Cricket Australia board directorship to do the job till a permanent replacement was found.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my career with Seven and in the television industry, but I am very enthused about joining Queensland Cricket in this role," Walters said. "Cricket is in an enviable position at the moment and there are many opportunities and ventures that lie ahead which will be exciting to be a part of. Queensland Cricket has transformed over the years into a dynamic business, but it still retains many of the qualities that I recall fondly.

"The game has played an important role in my life, both professionally and personally, and so being able to focus on it again will be both challenging and rewarding."

Largely due to difficulties created by its diffuse population spread across many mid-sized communities spanning a wide geographical area, Queensland has been a focus of pointed funding and development work at Cricket Australia, particularly after the move to an independent board of directors and more sophisticated financial distribution model in 2012.

Targeted CA funding has been aimed at better identifying and supporting cricket talent across the state, with the current chairman David Peever, a Queenslander, emphasising the importance of grass roots investment. Queensland Cricket was able to announce a modest operating profit at the association's AGM in Brisbane on Tuesday evening.