Kent Cricket Name Graham Johnson as Club President

Kent County Cricket Club have announced today that former Kent Cricketer and current Chairman of Cricket Graham Johnson will become the Club President for 2014 on 2nd April.

In time honoured tradition the outgoing President Bob ‘the Cat’ Bevan MBE, cough nominated his successor at a recent meeting of the Past Presidents of the Club.

Bob ‘the Cat’ Bevan MBE, who first got involved with the Club through Graham Johnson’s Benefit Year in 1983 commented, “Graham Johnson was a “stand out” candidate to become President given almost a half a century of service to the Club as a player and official. He will continue, as he always been, as an excellent ambassador for Kent”.

Reacting to the news, Johnson said “I have seen firsthand, over many years, the delight shown by past Kent Presidents in their appointment and the way they have enjoyed their year in office. That has been particularly evident in “the year of the Cat”. I particularly appreciate having been his nomination for President and to hear his reasoning for that nomination. Being President is a great honour.

“I want to be a “hands on” President hence my desire to combine the role of President with the work of continuing to build the foundations for the future of our Club. This is a very positive time for the Club, it having emerged stronger and better equipped through the challenges of the recent past and to be President in a year which builds on recent achievements is hugely pleasing. In particular as someone who grew up at the London end of Kent, playing in the Metropolitan Area team of the old Association of Kent Cricket Clubs and now seeing the development of a real presence back in the area with all that is being done at Beckenham ready for 2015. 

“My formative years at Kent were at a time when success on the field had been a while coming but then, as now, the support in and around the county was never in doubt. The various strands built in such a positive way that meant special times emerged. Again being part of that sort of atmosphere on and off the field will be a huge privilege and I hope will put a smile on the faces of many.” 

A graduate of the London School of Economics he enjoyed a corporate career with Barclays Bank, Save and Prosper, Flemings, Egg Plc. and Prudential Plc. He is currently a Director of TAL Talent Ltd – a specialist search, recruitment, assessment and people development company.