Nottinghamshire Appoint Everton's Richard Kenyon as New Chief Executive

Nottinghamshire Appoint Everton's Richard Kenyon as New Chief Executive

County champions Nottinghamshire have appointed Richard Kenyon, a senior executive at Everton Football Club, as their new chief executive, succeeding the long-serving Lisa Pursehouse.

Kenyon, who spent 11 years in various commercial and communications roles at Everton, will officially take over in December. In the interim, Notts' commercial director Michael Temple will serve as acting CEO.

Pursehouse, who announced her intention to step down earlier this year, leaves the club after 14 years in charge. Her final week coincided with a landmark moment, as Nottinghamshire secured their first County Championship title since 2010 with a final-round victory over Warwickshire at Trent Bridge.

Kenyon brings with him a wealth of experience from the football world. At Everton, he served as Chief Commercial and Communications Officer and also led the club's charitable arm, Everton in the Community. Notably, he played a key role in the club's transition from Goodison Park to the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

His appointment comes at a pivotal time for Nottinghamshire, as the club prepares to assume operational control of Trent Rockets in The Hundred. A £40 million deal with Cain International and Ares Management is close to completion, with Nottinghamshire retaining a 51% majority stake in the new joint venture.

Club chair Andy Hunt hailed Kenyon as the standout candidate:
"His leadership at Everton spanned critical areas including commercial strategy, global brand development, major infrastructure projects, and multi-stakeholder consultation – all directly relevant to the current and future ambitions of our club."

Kenyon described the opportunity as "a tremendous privilege" and paid tribute to his predecessor:
"It's a great credit to the outgoing CEO and her team that I'll be joining a club in such a strong position. I can't wait to get started later this year and look forward to working closely with the general committee, the executive team, and our members to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead for this great club and all of its teams."

Wider Changes Across the Counties

Kenyon's arrival is part of a broader reshuffle in county cricket leadership this winter.

  • Emma White, with experience in rugby and horse racing, has replaced Sean Jarvis at Leicestershire.

  • Nimmo Reid, Kent’s Chief Operating Officer, will take over on an interim basis following the departure of Simon Storey.

  • Pete Fitzboyden has stepped down at Sussex after two seasons for personal reasons.

As the domestic game continues to evolve both on and off the field, Nottinghamshire will hope Kenyon’s cross-sport expertise helps steer the club into a new era of commercial and cricketing success.