Faisal Hasnain appointed PCB Chief Executive

LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Monday announced the appointment of Faisal Hasnain as its new chief executive officer.

The PCB in a statement said that the new CEO was hired after a robust recruitment process. He will formally assume charge in January 2022.

The post had fallen vacant after Wasim Khan's resignation, who stepped down from the role due to alleged differences with PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja.

Khan was taken on board by former chairman Ehsan Mani in 2019 to run the affairs of the board on modern lines, on a three-year contract which was set to expire in 2022.

Welcoming the appointment of the new CEO, Ramiz Raja said Faisal Hasnain is a familiar figure in world cricket and is highly regarded, respected and trusted for his excellence in corporate governance, financial management and commercial acumen.

“With the plans I have for the PCB, Faisal will be a perfect fit as he can utilise his vast experience and knowledge to help us achieve our commercial and financial objectives of making Pakistan cricket bigger and stronger.”

On the other hand, the new chief executive termed it a “lifetime opportunity” to serve Pakistan cricket and thanked the PCB chairman and the Board of Governors for having confidence in his capabilities.

“I am fully committed to playing my part in delivering the PCB Chairman’s vision for Pakistan cricket, fulfilling the expectations and dreams of millions of passionate Pakistan cricket fans and strengthening the relationships with our existing commercial partners, the ICC and other Cricket Boards and developing new partnerships as we move forward.

“These are highly exciting times in Pakistan cricket and I look forward to working very closely with my colleagues at the PCB so that we can collectively further enhance the image, reputation and profile of this great institution.”

Faisal Hasnain’s profile

Faisal is a UK-qualified Chartered Accountant and has had a professional career of over 35 years in high-profile finance and sports administration roles with some of the world’s leading blue-chip organisations. This includes his role in Monaco and Dubai as the Chief Financial Officer of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and as the Managing Director of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC).

As the ICC’s Chief Financial Officer, Faisal managed an overall financial portfolio of around $3billion and was also involved in the sale of the ICC’s commercial rights for the 2007-2015 and the 2016-2023 commercial cycles. 

With Zimbabwe Cricket, he was instrumental in the refinancing of their commercial debts, arriving at the financial arrangements between ZC and the ICC, securing ZC’s funding and status within the ICC and securing hosting rights for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 – Zimbabwe’s first global event in 15 years.