Faul the new CEO of Titans cricket
It may be considered a step down in some quarters for Faul, who was the acting CEO of Cricket South Africa for a year, but it is a return to franchise cricket that the former Western Transvaal player is excited about.
“I learnt a lot while I was with CSA, it was difficult, but we achieved what we set out to do, which was keeping the operations going and getting the sponsors back. It has also given me a more balanced view of cricket administration, having always been on the affiliate’s side of the fence before then. I wanted to stay in cricket and I want to make the Titans the best franchise in the world. It’s a fantastic organisation and I’m very privileged,” Faul said.
It has not been the best of timing for Faul with the Titans’ awful season a blow to their reputation as one of the country’s leading franchises. But the former North-West CEO has no doubts he can help get the amalgamation of the Northerns and Easterns cricket unions back up to the top.
“I want to take the organisation to a new level, but you can only react in four ways strategically when you move into a venture, and this applies from a pub to an accounting firm. You can stop, start, continue or change things.
“The Titans is a great organisation, so I’ll be continuing a lot of things. But my role demands that I stop, start and change certain things. Issues such as stadia and financial stability are always dynamic,” Faul said.
Faul played a major role in elevating the status of cricket in Potchefstroom when he became CEO in 2003, but he was actually brought up in Klerksdorp, where he played club cricket for 21 years and was elected president of the club when he was just 26.
Had he not been called into administration at such a young age, and shown such commercial vision, Faul might well have ended up coaching.
He has a Level III certificate and an academy at Klerksdorp High School and describes coaching as “what I enjoy most”.