Ron Kalifa set to be next ECB chair

GEORGE DOBELL - EXCLUSIVE: Kalifa, who has been part of the ECB board since November 2020, had originally resisted calls to stand for the role citing his commitments in other areas of business

A late change of heart has seen Ron Kalifa emerge as favourite to fill the position of ECB chair.

Kalifa, who has been part of the ECB board since November 2020, had originally resisted calls to stand for the role citing his commitments in other areas of business.

But The Cricketer understands he has now been persuaded to stand and has the overwhelming support of the recruitment consultants involved and other members of the ECB board. As a consequence, it would be a major surprise if he is not the next ECB chair.

The process is not simple, though. Kalifa had been chair of the ECB nominations committee which sifted through the list of candidates for the position. As a result, a new chair of that committee will need to be appointed and, officially at least, a new process opened. The ECB are hoping to ratify the appointment at their AGM in late May.

^{The ECB has been without a permanent chair since Ian Watmore's resignation in October (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Kalifa's decision to re-enter the contest comes after the ECB conducted interviews and whittled the short-list down to four or five candidates. At that stage, it became clear they did not have the character they wanted and further requests were made to Kalifa to consider the job.

Richard Thompson was also asked to consider standing but declined to do so citing other demands upon his time. Other candidates are believed to have included Gerald Corbett, the chair of MCC.

The role of ECB chair is, on paper at least, meant to demand three days of work each week and comes with a salary of £150,000. Kalifa already has board positions with the Bank of England and Transport for London among several other interests.

It is unclear at present in which of those roles he will continue though it is understood he will – if he has not done so already – divest himself of his shareholding in the IPL side, Rajasthan Royals. He was awarded an OBE in the Queen's New Year 2018 Honours List for services to financial services and technology.

Kalifa, if appointed, will be the first person of colour appointed to the role of ECB chair. It also seems likely that the next chair of the nominations committee will be the first female in the role. Barry O'Brien, the former Glamorgan chair, has been interim ECB chair since Ian Watmore resigned in October.

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