Cutler appointed new CEO of Vanuatu Cricket

The Vanuatu Cricket Board has announced the appointment of Tim Cutler, former CEO of Hong Kong Cricket, as the new CEO of the Vanuatu Cricket Association.

Mark Stafford, President of the VCA announced the appointment stating the VCA’s ambition to remain the leading national sport federation in Vanuatu and Cutler’s experience with cricket and the wider corporate world as the best fit to take over from Shane Deitz and continue to move Vanuatu Cricket forward.

“The Vanuatu Cricket Board would like to congratulate Tim Cutler as the new CEO for the Vanuatu Cricket Association. The VCA has a strong vision for the future and require a well experienced person to lead the operations of the Association to achieve our ambitions.

 “Tim brings a great wealth of experience and a real passion for the game which we require to be able to achieve our ambitions. We want to see growth in interest in the game of cricket throughout the country and we need to see growth in income generation opportunities. We want to see everyone that is involved in cricket in Vanuatu, from grass roots and community level to our elite players in the Men’s and Women’s global pathway events, really enjoy their involvement with the game and we believe that Tim is the best person to make all this happen.

“We believe strongly in Tim’s abilities and experience and we expect the growth and development of the game throughout Vanuatu and our National Cricket teams’ performances around the world to continue to improve under his leadership as we have done for the past twenty years.” Stafford said.

Tim Cutler, the former CEO of Hong Kong Cricket, and the founder of the Emerging Cricket platform, has a wealth of experience that spans from strategic planning and transformational leadership to sports commercial initiatives and marketing and a wide range of experience and skills in corporate, government, insurance and not for profit sectors.

Cutler’s appointment comes off the back of the VCA’s plans for cricket tourism and the successful broadcast of the Vanuatu T10 Blast which provided live cricket for millions of cricket starved fans in 2020 due to the impacts of Covid.

Cutler expressed that the initiative to broadcast Vanuatu Cricket to the world attracted him to the role because it is an opportunity to further develop Vanuatu Cricket and cricket in the East Asia Pacific region.

“Vanuatu are one of the leading lights of Associate cricket and I’m honoured to be selected as its CEO. "It’s easy to be passionate about what Vanuatu Cricket is doing when you see the joy on the faces of everyone involved. From the innovation shown in broadcasting the first ICC member cricket after the coronavirus caused so much disruption, to initiatives like Women’s Island Cricket Program, the VCA consistently deliver on their mission to create a positive impact in the Pacific through cricket.

“Already having ten percent of the population picking up a bat and ball is such an achievement, and it is the VCA’s development programs that are the beating heart of this success and we will not only continue to grow the game but also help develop leaders in the community.”

Cutler is also a strong advocate for the development of Associate Cricket at the global cricket stage and one of his key responsibilities will be to support the VCA with establishing a number of revenue generating opportunities that will push the growth of Vanuatu Cricket locally and internationally.

“From joint development programs to corporate events and experiences, or leveraging cricket tourism opportunities when travel recommences, there are many opportunities for us to devise more programs and products that will create value for the game and its partners. I hope to achieve with the VCA a future that sees that substantial growth of the game can only be achieved by establishing additional revenue sources beyond the excellent support from the ICC. As such, building deeper partnerships with like-minded companies throughout Vanuatu and beyond will be a key focus in my role.”

Cutler is expected to join the VCA team in Vanuatu before the middle of this year and the VCA are looking forward to welcoming him in time for the ICC events that are scheduled for our National Teams and the VCA’s planned events in the second half of this year.

He will join a passionate team of staff who are looking forward to continue taking Vanuatu Cricket forward under his leadership.

 “There is already remarkable passion and innovation within the sport locally –and I look forward to firing these flames even more as we set and accomplish lofty goals for what the game can achieve for the people of Vanuatu. “I look forward to arriving in my new home of beautiful Port Vila to start playing my part in building on this already solid base,” Cutler concluded.

 

Photo file source Yahoo Cricket Caption: Tim Cutler, new CEO Vanuatu Cricket