New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the appointment of Sanjog Gupta as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). A highly respected figure in the global media, entertainment, and sports ecosystems, Sanjog will assume office on July 7, 2025, becoming the seventh CEO of the ICC, according to a release from the ICC.

Sanjog Gupta currently serves as CEO of Sports & Live Experiences at JioStar and brings with him over two decades of cross-functional experience. Sanjog is a visionary leader with proven expertise in building successful consumer franchises and is widely regarded as one of the architects of the modern sports ecosystem in India.

ICC Chairman Jay Shah said, 'I am pleased to announce that Sanjog Gupta has been appointed as the CEO of the ICC. Sanjog brings extensive experience in sports strategy and commercialisation, which will be invaluable for the ICC.'

'His deep understanding of the global sports as well as the M&E landscape, combined with his continued curiosity about the cricket fan's perspective and passion for technology, will prove essential in our ambition to grow the game in the coming years. Our goal is to move beyond traditional boundaries and establish cricket as a regular sport in the Olympics, growing its expanse across the world and deepening its roots in its core markets,' Shah added.

'We considered several exceptional candidates for this position, but the Nominations Committee unanimously recommended Sanjog. The ICC Board Directors look forward to working closely with him, and I would like to welcome him on behalf of everyone at the ICC.'

Sanjog's appointment follows a global recruitment process launched by the ICC in March. The role attracted over 2,500 applications from candidates across 25 countries, reflecting the international appeal and significance of the position. Candidates ranged from leaders associated with sports governing bodies to senior corporate executives from across sectors.

The ICC's HR & Remuneration Committee carefully reviewed and shortlisted 12 candidates, whose profiles were then shared with the Nominations Committee comprising ICC Deputy Chair Imran Khwaja, ECB Chair Richard Thompson, SLC President Shammi Silva, and BCCI Honorary Secretary Devajit Saikia. After a rigorous short-listing process, the Nominations Committee unanimously recommended Gupta. This recommendation was subsequently approved by ICC Chairman Mr Jay Shah after further assessment and evaluation, after which it was ratified by the full ICC Board.

Sanjog Gupta, ICC CEO-designate, commented, 'It is a privilege to have this opportunity, especially at a time when cricket is poised for unprecedented growth and enjoys the passionate support of almost 2 billion fans worldwide. These are exciting times for the sport as marquee events grow in stature, commercial avenues widen and opportunities such as the women's game scale in popularity. Cricket's inclusion in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and the rapid acceleration of technology deployment/adoption could act as force-multipliers for the Cricket movement around the world .'

'I look forward to contributing to the next phase of cricket's evolution, expanding its global footprint, enhancing the fan experience, and working closely with ICC Member Boards to build on our strong foundations.'

Sanjog Gupta has been a driving force behind the transformation of sports broadcasting in India and globally. Sanjog has played a pivotal role in shaping the continued growth of marquee Cricket properties such as ICC events & IPL, establishing domestic sports leagues like PKL and ISL, furthering the popularity of global sporting events such as Premier League and Wimbledon and scaling the business across consumer and commercial objectives.

He began his career as a journalist and joined Star India (now JioStar) in 2010. Over the years, he held multiple leadership roles in content, programming and strategy before becoming Head of Sports at Disney & Star India in 2020. Under his stewardship, the Sports portfolio at Star India scaled across consumer and commercial objectives with a strong emphasis on long-term growth and operational efficiency. Notably, he played a crucial role in developing and executing multi-language, digital-first, and women-centric sports coverage.

Sanjog was appointed CEO of JioStar Sports in November 2024 following the merger of Viacom18 and Disney Star, forming a powerful new sports media entity. Known for combining business acumen with creative storytelling, he has consistently delivered innovation-led growth across media and sports ecosystems. (ANI)