Rafi Ashkenazi joins PokerStars as COO
Former Playtech COO will report directly to Mark Scheinberg, PokerStars' acting chief executive and chairman.
Playtech’s former head of operations is to join PokerStars’ parent company Rational Group as its new COO, eGaming Review has learned.
Rafi Ashkenazi will report directly to Mark Scheinberg, PokerStars’ acting chief executive and chairman after his father Isai was forced to step down as part of the company’s civil settlement with the US Department of Justice last year.
As chief operating officer of Rational Group, he will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of both the PokerStars and Full Tilt brands. eGR understands that he will start his new role on 1 February.
He will be responsible for all customer-facing product and back-office functions for PokerStars and Full Tilt Poker including marketing, customer support, poker room and IT management, payment processing and security, and game integrity.
Commenting on Ashkenazi’s appointment Scheinberg said: “As the group grows and continues to develop our business globally and across multiple platforms and brands, we need to strengthen the leadership of its increasingly complex operations.
“Rafi is a fine executive with outstanding management and people skills and has been very successful directing the operational complexities of a global gaming company. I am very happy that he will bring that expertise to our senior management team.”
Ashkenazi spent seven years with Playtech in a number of senior roles latterly heading the company’s operations from its Isle of Man office, located there for tax reasons. He was one of the listed provider’s longest serving employees.
“With PokerStars, the Rational Group has built a stellar reputation by continually raising the bar with high-quality, trusted products while delivering best-in-class customer support and service,” Ashkenazi said of his appointment. “I am excited to join the team and add my skills to that tradition of industry leadership.”
On 14 November last year eGR exclusively revealed that he had handed in his resignation, however it is unclear when he officially left. eGR understands Ashkenazi received numerous offers from various gaming companies but that remaining on the Isle of Man with his family and joining the industry’s dominant global poker operator was too tempting to turn down.
Ashkenazi was the second high-profile executive to leave Playtech in less than two months in late 2012 following another eGR exclusive that Aaron Johnson, former CEO of the company’s B2B bingo arm Virtue Fusion, had left the company in September.
Former COO Shay Segev, who has been with Playtech for four years returned to the role after previously being seconded to manage the Gala Interactive launch following its 10-year software agreement with Playtech.