Lancashire Cricket Club has appointed Steve Davies as its new operations director as part of ongoing efforts to improve the experience of visitors to its Emirates Old Trafford ground.
After what Lancashire described as an extensive global search, Davies joins from Merlin Entertainments where he has spent over 14 years working at popular visitor attractions in several senior roles including conference and banqueting manager and then head of operations at Alton Towers theme park.
Davies held the role of operations director at Chessington World of Adventures for over three years and joins Lancashire Cricket from Madame Tussaud’s London, where he’s worked since September 2017 as general manager.
Lancashire Cricket chief executive, Daniel Gidney, said: “Steve brings a wealth of relevant experience and he will add further focus to our desire to improve the all-round experience for our members and supporters when attending Emirates Old Trafford.
“We continue to grow in all areas of our business, and it is vital that we equip ourselves with the necessary talent on and off the pitch to ensure we are capable of being the best we can be. Steve will be an excellent addition to the Club’s executive team.”
Davies will start in his new position on April 6 and replaces Anthony Mundy, who left the Club last month after seven years at Emirates Old Trafford. His appointment comes after Lancashire in October announced plans for a new 4,850-seat stand in a move that would make Emirates Old Trafford the largest cricket ground outside of London.
The stand will replace the existing Red Rose Suite and will feature a pitch-view suite, along with enhanced members facilities, a heritage centre, ticket office and retail shop. With the expansion, the capacity of the Manchester ground will increase to 26,700. Lancashire’s plans also include an extension of the existing Hilton Garden Inn, with the club citing the “huge continued success” since the hotel opened two years ago.
Davies said: “Emirates Old Trafford is an iconic sporting institution, with a fantastic history and heritage, and the plans for further development and growth is something that really excites me particularly with the new stand and extension of the Hilton Garden Inn hotel over the next few years.
“It’s my job to help build on what has been achieved over the last decade here and deliver the best possible experience for all our members and supporters, both on domestic and international matchdays.”
In addition to the appointment of the Club’s new operations director, Lancashire Cricket has also announced the promotion to the executive team of Angela Hodson to the role of sales director and Liz Cooper to the role of partnerships director.
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