People news 4 June 2015
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (29 May to 4 June 2015)
Betsson CEO Silfverberg announces departure
Magnus Silfverberg to leave firm next month with chair Pontus Lindwall to take on role for interim period
Betsson AB chief executive and president Magnus Silfverberg will leave the firm next month in order to become CEO of business decision support organisation Bisnode, the firm announced this week.
Silfverberg will remain in charge until the operator’s H1 result’s announcement on 17 July at which point chairman and former CEO Pontus Lindwall will take charge on an interim basis while Betsson conducts a search for a permanent successor.
Silfverberg has spent six years at Betsson, four as chief executive, since joining from Hewlett-Packard in 2009. The Swede has played an integral role the operator’s recent success, having overseen a number of strategic acquisitions and a period of sustained growth.
Speaking to eGaming Review, Silfverberg described his experience at Betsson and time within the egaming industry as “amazing” and said he had no concerns regarding the future prospects of the firm.
BoyleSports builds Gibraltar team with senior hires
BoyleSports has made three senior appointments to its recently-launched Gibraltar-based operation, including naming former Mfuse CEO Marcus Wareham as head of product marketing, eGaming Review has learned.
The Irish operator, which received its operating licence from the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner in April, has since set up a new base in Gibraltar’s Ocean Village, headed-up by chief marketing officer Neill Garfield.
Wareham, who joined-up with BoyleSports in the past few weeks, has taken on responsibility for the strategic direction of the operator’s sports and games portfolio, primarily to ensure the products meet evolving customer needs.
Seven days in people news:
Playtech brings on board BDO finance director
Playtech has strengthened its corporate advisory team with the appointment of BDO finance director Neil Offord to the role of chief analyst.
Offord, who joins Playtech this week following more than 20 years at BDO, has previously advised the firm on corporate deals ranging from the supplier’s recent £333m acquisition of financial trading firm TradeFX to its £1bn listing on London’s main market back in 2012.
During his time at BDO, Offord also advised on a number of other high-profile gaming-related transactions including Intertain’s £650m acquisition of Jackpotjoy from Gamesys, bwin.party’s buyout of PXP Solutions and Stride Gaming’s recent admission to London’s AIM market.
Betfair promotes Mark Brooker to executive director
Betfair has announced chief operating officer Mark Brooker will join the board from 1 June after he was promoted to the position of executive director.
In a statement released to the market last week, the operator said Brooker, who joined the company in March 2010, will continue as COO of Betfair and remain based at the company’s Dublin office but will be tasked with additional executive responsibilities.
The appointment means Brooker will join chairman Gerald Corbett, chief executive Breon Corcoran, chief financial officer Alexander Gersh and a number of independent directors and non-executive directors on the board of the PLC.
Mecca shops at Sainsbury’s for new marketing director
Rank Group subsidiary Mecca Bingo has named ex-Sainsbury’s head of customer experience Anna Shirley as its new director of marketing.
Shirley will join Mecca Bingo on 3 August and will be responsible for overseeing all marketing activity for the brand’s retail and digital divisions.
Martin Pugh, managing director at Mecca Bingo, said Shirley’s “wealth of retail marketing experience” will add momentum to the business’ growth over the last year.