CRICKET IRELAND HAVE confirmed the appointment of Sarah Keane as Chief Executive Office.

Keane leaves her post as Swim Ireland CEO after a highly successful 21-year tenure, and will start with Cricket Ireland in March 2026.

Keane will succeed Warren Deutrom, who stepped down at the end of August after almost 19 years at the helm.

The landmark appointment will see Keane become the first female CEO of an International Cricket Council (ICC) Full Member nation.

A Cricket Ireland statement read: “Following an extensive and highly competitive recruitment process, the Board of Cricket Ireland unanimously ratified Keane’s appointment, recognising her unparalleled track record of transformative leadership and strategic vision across Irish and international sport.

“Keane brings an extraordinary wealth of experience to Cricket Ireland. She is currently one of the longest-serving and successful CEOs in Irish Sport, having led Swim Ireland since 2004. Under her 21-year tenure, Swim Ireland underwent a remarkable transformation, achieving its best-ever Olympic Games performance in Paris 2024, securing multiple World and European medals, launching a government-backed groundbreaking National Swimming Strategy with a significant focus on infrastructure, and consistently driving increased participation through innovative programmes.

“Her influence extends far beyond aquatics. As President of the Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) from 2017, Sarah was instrumental in reforming the Irish Olympic movement. She successfully navigated the organisation through a post-Rio 2016 crisis, revitalising the OFI, together with a great Board and staff team, to deliver Ireland’s best Olympic Summer Games in 2024.”

“I am incredibly excited and deeply honoured to become the new CEO of Cricket Ireland and the first female CEO of an ICC Full Member nation,” Keane said.

“Cricket is a truly global sport, and Ireland now stands on the threshold of tremendous opportunity – from the Olympic opportunity with the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Olympics, the accelerated development of the women’s game, and the potential of bringing different communities together, to Ireland hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2030.

“I’m particularly keen to explore further avenues for commercial growth to ensure sustainable investment, and I look forward to supporting the ambitious plans for the development of the National Cricket Centre on the National Sports Campus and the upgrades to vital cricket infrastructure at Malahide, Stormont and others. I am committed to working collaboratively and tirelessly with the Board, staff, players, and the entire cricketing community to deliver on those opportunities for Irish Cricket and all involved.”

Cathal Marley, Chairperson of Swim Ireland, said Keane had “transformed Irish swimming.

“On behalf of the entire Board and the wider Swim Ireland community, I want to extend our profound thanks to Sarah Keane for her immense contribution over more than two decades,” Marley said.

“Sarah has not just led Swim Ireland; she has transformed it, leaving the sport in a far stronger, more professional, and more successful position than she found it. Her legacy of high performance, increased participation, and sound governance provides a fantastic platform for her successor to build upon. Sarah will stay connected to the organisation through her international roles and as a continued part of the Swim Ireland family.

“While we are sad to see her go, we wish her every success in her new role at Cricket Ireland and look forward to seeing her continue to make an impact on Irish sport.

“Sarah will not depart the organisation for a couple of months yet, and as part of its robust governance structures Swim Ireland will proceed in an appropriate manner to consider the process to appoint a successor who will build upon the formidable foundations laid by Sarah, and we will continue to build on the current strong momentum for Swimming and the aquatics in Ireland.”