New Delhi, Aug 12 : Cricket West Indies has announced that Johnny Grave will step down as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the end of October 2024. Grave has been in the position since February 2017, and under his tenure, West Indies hosted the 2018 Women's T20 World Cup, 2022 Men's U19 World Cup and 2024 Men's T20 World Cup.

"It has been an absolute privilege to have been CEO of CWI since February 2017. Having just hosted a successful T20 World Cup and delivered significant surpluses for CWI for the third consecutive year, I do feel it is the right time for me and my family to seek a new challenge.'

'I have received tremendous support from so many people since becoming CEO and I'd like to thank everyone, especially the staff and the players, particularly during the difficult Pandemic, for their trust in me and their commitment to West Indies cricket.'

'My family and I have loved living in Antigua and will leave with many special memories having watched our young children grow up here. I have put everything into this role, and now is the right time for someone new with fresh energy to lead the organisation and continue this important work and build on the strong foundations that are now in place,' said Grave in a statement.

Grave was appointed as CWI CEO by then-chairman Dave Cameron after Michael Muirhead stepped down from the role. He previously worked as the commercial director of the Professional Cricketers' Association in England for a decade. CWI President Dr Kishore Shallow expressed gratitude to Grave for his dedication and work towards cricket in the Caribbean.

'Johnny's efforts, particularly through challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as successfully hosting three World Cups including, the Women's World T20 in 2018, the Men's U19 Cricket World Cup in 2022 and recently, the Men's T20 World Cup, have made a lasting impact on CWI.'

'Appreciably, the organisation has taken many positive strides during his tenure. A standout achievement is the acquisition and full ownership of the Coolidge Cricket Ground (CCG), which is now our headquarters and home to our Men's and Women's Academies. On behalf of the Board and all at CWI, I express heartfelt thanks to him for his unwavering commitment and leadership over the past several years.'

CWI remarked it will be initiating a comprehensive recruitment process to select Grave's successor, and further said they will ensure a thorough and transparent selection process. It added that details regarding the recruitment process will be announced shortly through various media platforms.

'As we look forward to embracing a new chapter in the organisation's evolution, CWI is poised to deliver the new strategic plan and enter a new era of governance. This transition reflects our commitment to adapting and innovating in response to the evolving landscape of cricket,' concluded Dr Shallow.

/IANS