Cricket West Indies [CWI] has appointed Lynford Inverary as its new chief operating officer (COO) and acting chief executive officer (CEO). The decision was made by the board of directors on September 28 in Port-of-Spain.

Inverary’s appointment as COO will be effective from October 1 and his role as acting CEO will commence on November 1. He will assume the position which will be vacated by Johnny Grave.

Grave has been CEO of CWI for close to eight years having taken up the role in February 2017. During his tenure, he oversaw three World Cups hosted in the West Indies: the 2018 women’s T20 World Cup, the 2022 Under-19 World Cup and the 2024 men’s T20 World Cup co-hosted with the USA. He was also the T20 World Cup CEO for the event in June this year..

Inverary, an Antiguan national born in Guyana, has over a decade’s worth of experience at the CWI where he has held various roles. This includes the post of a business planning manager and also as an acting corporate secretary.

More recently, Inverary spearheaded the formation of CWI’s 2024-27 strategic plan, titled ‘The Long Run’, which outlines a comprehensive roadmap focused on improving governance, enhancing cricket development, optimising operational efficiency, and ensuring long-term growth and sustainability for the organization.

“I am honoured and grateful to the CWI Board of Directors for their vote of confidence in my ability to lead,” Inverary said. “I embrace this new challenge as a platform to continue contributing to the development of the sport that means so much to me and the people of the West Indies.

“I look forward to working with the board, management, and staff to implement our four-year strategic plan, improve operational efficiency, and shape a strong future for West Indies cricket.”

Inverary holds a graduate degree from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus and an MBA degree from the University of South Wales.

“Lynford brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and a deep understanding of CWI’s strategic goals, paired with an operational capacity to execute with precision,” CWI president Dr Kishore Shallow said. “Over his decade-long tenure, he has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, guiding critical projects to successful completion while steering key initiatives with purpose and vision.

“His unyielding commitment and expertise leave us confident in his ability to lead CWI through this pivotal phase of growth and transformation.”