Board of Directors for 2021
Tue 20 Apr 2021
Following the Annual General Meeting (AGM) which was held online via Zoom on Tuesday 30, March 2021, the Board of Directors and Advisors to the Board are confirmed for 2021.
Jack Birkenshaw MBE was re-elected as Club President, with Mehmooda Duke MBE DL also re-elected as Chair by the Board.
The Board welcomed three new Nominated Directors in Jonathan Duckworth, Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE and Ian Kendall.
Jonathan Duckworth is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development with extensive experience of working within the sport industry, across Rugby, Football and Motor Sport. Jonathan oversees the Company Pillar at LCCC and is a Trustee of the club’s Foundation.
Having joined the Board as a Nominated Director, Jonathan said: "LCCC is in my blood. It is at the heart of our inclusive community and I will continue to do everything I can to help our Club flourish."
Leanne Bonner-Cooke MBE brings her experiences and expertise of developing two award-winning businesses. The two start-ups of Evolve-IT Consulting Limited and e-bate Limited were built from scratch and resulted in Leanne being awarded an MBE for Services to Women in Business and Technology in 2018.
On joining the Board as a Nominated Director, Leanne said “I am delighted to have joined the Board of Directors during this challenging but exciting time. I look forward to assisting the club on a strategic level, this is a great time for the club both on and off the pitch in terms of development and growth”.
Ian Kendall has over 40 years’ experience in the leisure sector, with 25 years’ experience as a CEO, Director or Trustee. Ian has a range of skills from facility design, cultural needs, including Equality and Safeguarding and Director for a Youth Academy. He has been involved with the design and operation of 4 international venues and has taken two organisations from £2m turnover to £10m.
On being nominated, Ian said “In the last few 5 years, I have worked in professional football as Director responsible for facilities and oversee a very successful Academy. I have worked constructively with Leicestershire CCC’s CEO for over 20 years and look forward to being able to support Sean and the Board as they develop Leicestershire into a leading organisation and enjoy some first class cricket along the way.”
Steve Kind was re-appointed as an Elected Director Shahid Sheikh OBE (Elected Director), Louise Seymour (Council Director), and Russell Spiers (Organisation Director) complete the Board positions.
Steve Kind is a commercially minded qualified accountant by background having held executive and non-executive Board posts for a wide range of professional sporting and educational based entities over many years, including 9 years’ service as CEO/Finance Director/Company Secretary at Leicester City FC, 7 years at Aston Villa FC, a former Trustee (representing the Premier League) of the Professional Footballers Pension Scheme and as a non-executive Board member at the local County Sports Partnership.
Shahid Sheikh OBE has been a Member of LCCC since 2005 and has been an avid supporter of the club from sponsoring overseas matches/tours, general sponsorship, box holder, and the kit sponsor (DMS Sports) when LCCC last won the T20, not to mention the number of introductions he has made to the club. Shahid was Board Director of LCCC (2010-2013) and former Cultural Ambassador of the Club.
Louise Seymour has been in post as Leicester City Council’s Head of Development Projects since January 2012, having previously worked in Nottingham and the south of England. She leads a team of officers delivering regeneration projects across the City. The role involves working closely with private sector developers to facilitate development and investment within the City to deliver both housing and commercial schemes.
Russell Spiers has been involved in cricket in Leicestershire from a very young age, both in a playing and administrative capacity. Having started playing his competitive cricket for Countesthorpe followed by the Leicester Nomads, he then spent four years playing in Staffordshire, whilst also representing them at a Minor County level during their success in the early 90s, before returning to play for Kibworth in 1997, where he continues to play as well as representing Leicestershire Over 50s. He was a director of the LRCB and was involved in the merger with the County Club and ia the representative of the Organisation Members. Russell is also Vice Chairman of the Leicestershire Premier League.
The Advisors to the Board remain Stuart Cope and Geoff Milnes.
Board Directors Robin Matthews and John Thorpe, and Board Advisors Matthew Boyce and Mukesh Bulsara, have retired from their respective positions.
Robin Matthews has devoted more than 50 years of service to Leicestershire CCC as a player, coach? and Board Director.
Robin came to LCCC via Minor Counties Cricket with Oxfordshire and signed a professional contract in April 1971. Injury and the need to secure winter employment brought a promising professional cricket career to an end four years later although he continued to play local league cricket and worked part time for Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket Ltd. (the old County Board). Robin also played for LCCC Over 50’s and became a Club director in 2010, serving on the Community and Cricket committees and leading the merger of LCCC and the County Board.
John Thorpe oversaw the Commercial Pillar at the Club to provide his analytical knowledge from running his own business, Thorpes Joinery Ltd. The Commercial team at the club have seen huge progress made during the Winter which has been supported by John.
Former running fox player Matthew Boyce was an integral part of the Cricket Pillar. Having been a member of the Leicestershire Academy, he supported with the improvements made to the Pathway to support young cricketers breaking into the first team squad.
Leicestershire County Cricket Club welcomes Jonathan, Leanne and Ian to their new roles and thanks Robin, John, Matthew and Mukesh for their services to the club.
