Sussex's New CEO: The ECB Insider Taking Over After a Tough Year

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-11-04

Sussex have named Beth Barrett-Wild as their new chief executive. She joins the county after spending more than a decade at the England and Wales Cricket Board, where she most recently served as tournament director of the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup. Barrett-Wild will start at Hove on January 1 and replace acting chief executive Alex Paterson. ### Beth Barrett-Wild Joins Sussex From the ECB Barrett-Wild began her career at the MCC before moving to the ECB in 2013 as media manager for England Women. She later became head of the Women's Hundred and then director of the women's professional game. In that role, she helped oversee the three-tier county structure the board introduced in 2025. The incoming CEO also played county cricket for Essex. She said she was proud to join a club with a rich history and a future full of opportunity. She recalled picking up a bat as a young girl at her village club and said the sense of family and community in cricket has stayed with her since. Leading the oldest professional cricket club in the world, she said, was something her eight-year-old self could only have imagined. ### Sussex Appoint New CEO After a Difficult Year The appointment follows a turbulent period at the club. The ECB placed Sussex in special measures at the start of the year after financial difficulties emerged, and the club later reported a loss of £1.3 million ($1.6 million). Spending restrictions led several players to leave, including club captain John Simpson and England prospect Henry Crocombe. Paul Farbrace also left his post as head coach. He first agreed to stay on in a part-time role as director of cricket and then departed for Lancashire last month. The former ECB executive acknowledged the challenges off the field but said a great deal of work over the past 10 months had put Sussex on a steadier footing. She said she looks forward to working with chair Ed Warner, the board, the executive team, players, members and fans to build on that progress. ### Sussex Chair Ed Warner Backs the Decision Warner said he was delighted to see someone of Barrett-Wild's experience join the club. He credited her with lifting women's cricket to a new level and said he expects to work closely with her on the club's future. The chair added that the quality of applicants for the role was very high and made the process highly competitive. Barrett-Wild's talent and vibrancy, he said, set her apart as the strongest candidate to lead Sussex into its next chapter. ### Sussex Finish Third in the County Championship On the field, Sussex handled the disruption better than many expected. The club began the season with a 12-point deduction as part of the sanctions linked to its financial situation. It still finished third in the Division One table of the County Championship. Barrett-Wild now takes charge of a club that has stabilised its finances but lost several senior figures from its playing and coaching staff. Her first months in the role will centre on working with the board and the executive team as Sussex plan for the next season. > "I'm proud to join a club with such a rich history and a future full of opportunity," Barrett-Wild said. "The sense of family and community in cricket has stayed with me since I was a young girl, and leading the oldest professional cricket club in the world is something my eight-year-old self could only have imagined." For more cricket news and updates, visit JeetWin Blog!