People news 28 August 2014
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (22 August to 28 August 2014)
Mattingley to step down as 888 CEO
Chief executive to take up role of executive chairman of the board as non-exec chairman Richard Kilsby retires
888 Holdings’ Brian Mattingley is to step down as chief executive after three years in the role and take up the position of executive chairman of the board following the retirement of non-executive chairman Richard Kilsby.
Mattingley first joined the 888 board in 2005 before being appointed CEO in March 2012 and will make the switch to his new role at the Gibraltar-licensed company’s 2015 annual general meeting (AGM) in May.
Chief operating officer Itai Frieberger has been appointed director of the company and will continue to oversee day-to-day operations along with chief financial officer Aviad Kobrine.
“We are very excited at this move, which will allow the company to continue to take advantage of Brian’s wealth of experience, wisdom and knowledge of the company, particularly in maintaining and developing relationships with existing and future regulators,” the chairman of the company’s nominations committee, Amos Pickel, said.
BetVictor steps up CEO search
BetVictor’s search for a new chief executive has intensified in recent weeks after the operator appointed headhunter Rosemary Collins to help the firm fill the vacated role, eGaming Review understands.
The operator’s previous CEO Michael Carlton left the firm in May along with BetVictor chairman Victor Chandler when shareholder Michael Tabor bought Chandler’s share of the business to assume full control.
The Gibraltar-based bookie has since been operating without a chief executive, however, eGR understands London-based Collins and her recruitment firm RCA have approached a number of potential candidates for the role.
Seven days in people news:
Exclusive Betfred CEO Interview
Betfred has proven it’s not just William Hill that can turn betting shop managers into chief executives. John Haddock last month took up the position of group CEO nearly 30 years after he was convinced by owner Fred Done to swap his job as a board marker at Ladbrokes for a management position in one of Betfred’s betting shops near Manchester.
“I remember joining Fred when he had 13 betting shops and I joined because of his ideals, how he saw the industry growing and how he was developing the business at that time,” Haddock says. “The strange thing was, I joined Fred on less money than I was on at Ladbrokes but I bought into the idea of what Fred was trying to achieve,” he adds.
Mr Green recruits new CFO
Swedish online gambling firm Mr Green is to hire Simon Falk as its new chief financial officer in October following the planned retirement of current CFO Marjatta Skogh.
Falk is expected to start no later than 1 October and joins the firm from Swedish pharmacist chain Kronans Apotek, where he has spent more than five years serving as its finance director having previously served as CFO at telecommunications firms Bredbandsbolaget and Tele2.
“As the Mr Green & Co Group acquires more gaming companies and grows geographically, our CFO will hold an increasingly central position,” Mikael Pawlo, CEO at Mr Green, said. “We are confident that Simon Falk will play a key role in our continued expansion.”
Betting and broadcast industries provider Satellite Information Services (SIS) has hired David Johnson from sports data firm Perform Group as its new head of digital rights.
Johnson spent 11 years at Perform and in his new role Johnson will be responsible for developing commercial relationships with partners including Sports Federation and Rights Agencies.
“He has a proven track record in the sports content industry and working with sports rights holders particularly,” Paul Baker, director of strategic development SIS, said.
“He will drive the development of our official data and pictures portfolio,” he added.