New New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink. Photo: Alan Lee
Incoming New Zealand Cricket chief executive Scott Weenink describes himself as a "Test cricket romantic" who wants to bolster the community game and keep players aspiring to play for the national teams.
Weenink, a businessman and former Wellington first-class cricketer, replaces David White who stepped down from the role earlier this year after 12 years in the job.
The 50-year-old father of four was initially a corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions lawyer, before gaining executive and governance experience in a wide range of industries.
His background draws on a variety of working experiences in New Zealand, the UK, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, and a sporting experience just as colourful, including Oxford University Blues in both cricket and rugby.
Over recent years he has been the chair of the New Zealand Cricket Players Association, a position from which he will now step down.
Weenink saw the benefits of his previous role with the players' association in his new role.
"I think having had a relationship with the players is obviously key but also those two organisations are pretty strongly tied at the hip and part of the reason for the success of New Zealand Cricket over the last 10 to 12 years is that both those organisations have really had a priority which is the best for New Zealand cricket," Weenink said.
Weenink said he "loves the business of sport".
"There's a finely balanced, symbiotic relationship between community and high performance cricket in New Zealand and one of my key responsibilities is to ensure that's maintained and sustained into the future.
"In the longer term we're looking to try and continue to drive focus and investment into the community game to make sure that's a vibrant and inclusive game for New Zealanders.
"Really to ensure that we are investing in the right areas and community cricket to make sure that's a thriving game because that then leads on into the high performance, which also leads on into the commercial side.
"So there's this nice cycle, but it really starts at community cricket. So if I was to leave anything, it would be to leave the community game in a really, really good space."
Weenink also wanted to keep Test cricket in the spotlight.
"I see Test cricket as being key to keeping players playing for New Zealand. So absolutely I'll be looking to try and promote Test cricket while balancing the fact that we do need to play the higher revenue parts of the game as well."
New Zealand Cricket board chair Martin Snedden said there had been international interest in the chief executive role but they wanted a New Zealander.
"Over the years I've been involved in situations where you can bring people in from overseas but it's not easy for it to gel. Whereas if you pick a New Zealander... there's an extra passion that I think exists within people."
