Tasmania’s favourite cricket son Ricky Ponting will pad-up for his home state as an Ambassador for Tasmania, and join our trade mission to India next month.
Ricky is Australia’s most successful Test and ODI cricketer and also highly regarded in India amongst cricketing and business circles.
I’m delighted Ricky will join the trade mission to promote our state, support Tasmanian business, and help open doors in a country in which he is revered.
We are breaking new ground in economies that are among the largest and fastest growing in the world and having Ricky Ponting in our team will be a distinct advantage given his already established connections.
The trade mission, from September 2-11, will include representatives from the Tasmanian education, energy, tourism and hospitality and food and beverage sectors.
Ricky will actively participate in the Indian leg of the trade mission engaging high level business contacts, promoting education initiatives with ties to Launceston and in promoting Tasmania as a world class destination with high quality experiences, food and beverages.
Ricky is also head coach of the IPL Mumbai Indians, which won the Championship in 2015, so he has an enormous profile that will attract great interest in Tasmania and the trade mission.
Ricky Ponting said: ``I promote Tasmania at every opportunity, so I feel very humbled to formally become an Ambassador for Tasmania and use my international contacts to help my home state.
``I am a very proud Tasmanian and want to do my bit to help grow our State in every way possible,’’ he said.
Additionally, while in Colombo, the delegation will be supported by Tasmanian IPL players James Faulkner and George Bailey and International cricket referee David Boon – another household face and name in the sub-continent who is a key part of part of the trade mission team in both India and Sri Lanka.
Our recent trade missions to China have helped stimulate the in massive growth in trade, investment and tourism, which supports Tasmanian businesses and jobs.
We anticipate that this trade mission India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore will similarly open up valuable new opportunities for our state.