Snai appoints ex-Paddys man as online head
Alessandro Allara leaves comms director role to lead Italian firm's online sportsbook
Italy-facing gambling operator Snai has recruited Paddy Power Italia’s former communications director Alessandro Allara to head up its online business, eGaming Review has learned.
Allara joined Paddy Power’s Italian arm as brand and operations director in December 2011 before becoming comms director in May 2012.
He makes the switch to Snai, one of Italy’s leading local brands with leading market share in sportsbook and gaming, in the newly-created role of head of online & betting in running.
Prior to joining Paddys Allara was bwin.party’s head of sportsbook in Italy for almost two years.
He also spent two years as Gioco Digitale’s sportsbook head and a year and a half as head of egaming for Ladbrokes’ Italian business.
It is thought the move is not linked to Paddy Power’s review of its Italian business which it announced during its full-year results earlier this month.
Paddy Power’s Italy-facing paddypower.it site saw an 85% or 7.9m increase in net revenue last year, but still posted an operating loss of 14.7m.
The firm said that despite having achieved “meaningful” sportsbook market share in Italy, overall market growth “remains slower than expected” with the bookmaker “undertaking a review of the opportunity” in order to better position itself in the market.