Nick Hockley Appointed Global CEO of BatFast

Former Cricket Australia CEO to lead global sports simulation technology company through next phase of growth

BatFast, the global sports simulation technology company, today announces the appointment of Nick Hockley as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.

The appointment marks a pivotal moment for BatFast as it accelerates international expansion of its AI-powered sports simulation platform, which integrates advanced robotics, computer vision ball tracking, machine learning analytics, and immersive gamification to deliver world-class training, entertainment, and fan engagement experiences.

Nick brings more than two decades of experience leading major sporting organisations and global events. He most recently served as CEO of Cricket Australia (2020–2025), where he led the game through the pandemic and a period of sustained on-field and commercial success. During his tenure, Cricket Australia secured men's and women's Ashes victories, six ICC trophies and Commonwealth Games gold, negotiated landmark broadcast agreements, delivered a new five-year strategy and repositioned the Big Bash League for long-term growth.

Prior to Cricket Australia, Nick held senior commercial and executive roles across global sport, including at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and multiple ICC global tournaments. He also served as CEO of the record-breaking ICC T20 World Cup in 2020.

Nick worked closely with BatFast throughout his tenure at Cricket Australia, where the company's technology formed part of fan engagement initiatives. Since October 2025, he has served as Chair of HiTZ Australia, the cricket training platform majority owned by BatFast and powered by its SmartPlay technology.  HiTZ recently opened in Melbourne, representing the first international deployment of BatFast's AI-enabled cricket training model.

As Global CEO, Nick will lead BatFast through its next phase of international growth, pursuing accelerated expansion across Australia, India, North America, and the Middle East. Founders Runish Gudhka and Jignesh Patel will continue to drive the company's strategic vision and technology development as Founder & Chief Strategy Officer and Founder & Chief Technology Officer, respectively.

Nick Hockley said: "This is an extraordinary opportunity to be part of reshaping how sports are experienced globally. I've seen first-hand how transformative BatFast's technology can be.

"Over six years working alongside the company through the T20 World Cup and at Cricket Australia, I’ve seen them tackle one of sport’s fundamental challenges: how to make elite-level training accessible to everyone, while creating experiences that are genuinely fun, engaging, and appealing to a wide range of audiences.

"Sport is evolving rapidly, and technology will increasingly shape how people train and play. Our technology doesn’t just simulate sport, it personalises the experience, captures performance data, and makes training and playing more accessible, helping players of all levels improve.

"I'm excited to work with Runish, Jignesh, the entire BatFast team, and all our partners to scale this globally and establish BatFast as a foundational platform for how people train, compete, and connect with the games they love."

Runish Gudhka, Founder & Chief Strategy Officer of BatFast, said: "Nick's track record leading complex sporting organisations through periods of transformation, combined with his deep understanding of our technology and business model, makes him uniquely qualified to lead BatFast's global expansion.

"His appointment accelerates our ambition to establish BatFast as foundational infrastructure within cricket's global ecosystem, and ultimately across multiple sports worldwide."

Jignesh Patel, Founder & Chief Technology Officer, said: "Nick understands both the technical capabilities of our platform and the commercial opportunities it unlocks. His leadership will be instrumental as we scale our technology across new markets and sports, while continuing to push the boundaries of what's possible in sports simulation."

"This appointment positions BatFast to capitalise on the global convergence of sport, technology, and participation, as traditional barriers to elite training and engaging sports experiences continue to dissolve.

BatFast's simulation platform currently operates across training facilities, entertainment venues, and major sporting events worldwide, working with organisations including Cricket Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council, Tennis Australia, and Major League Baseball.