Gala Coral online restructure sees senior figures depart

A number of senior figures at Gala Coral are set to leave the company in the coming months with CMO Matt Prevost and HR director Karen Hood among the first to depart as the firm presses ahead with plans to merge its two interactive businesses, eGaming Review can reveal.

Last week the operator announced it was to combine its two Gibraltar-based divisions, Gala Interactive and Coral Interactive, and align them closer to the retail business in order to perfect its multi-channel offer.

And in a note circulated to staff the operator revealed the combined entity’s new-look executive board, which will be headed up by Gala Coral Group chief operating officer Andy Hornby, and detailed a number departures from the business, including that of Coral Interactive chief marketing officer Matt Prevost.

Prevost is set to return to his native US early next year but will first play a headline role in the integration process while Gala Interactive CMO Phil Walker has been handed responsibility for the merged firm’s marketing strategy.

Gala Interactive gaming director Alison Digges will revert to a director of bingo role, a position she held until recently at Gala, while Coral’s Mark Kemp will also sit on the board as gaming director alongside Angus Nisbet who becomes gaming operations director.

Keith O’Loughlin, who joined Coral Interactive from Boylesports in June, will retain his director of sportsbook role, although eGR understands that director of trading at Coral Nick Maurice has left the firm.

Gala Interactive product and technology director Itay Fisher has been given a larger brief as he takes up a position on the new board as development director while Coral’s Michael Boylan becomes IT director for the amalgamated firm.

The human resources team has also been given a new look after Coral HR director Karen Hood decided to leave the firm with responsibility for the combined business handed to recent recruit Tracey Newton-Blows.

Newton-Blows joined the firm in July as a replacement for Gala Interactive HR director Ruth Halsall, who is currently on gardening leave after the company decided the team should have responsibility for both the Gala and Coral online businesses.

In addition, last week’s announcement detailed the departure of Coral Interactive managing director John O’Reilly while in September it was revealed that Gala Interactive managing director Per Widerstrom would be leaving in December to join Fortuna Entertainment.

News of the online rejig comes as the Group yesterday made a preliminary results announcement in which it detailed Q4 Group EBITDA of £58.2m, up 47% year-on-year, with full year profits up 7% to £263.9m.

The results didn’t give any detail of online performance but said its full audited financial statements would be released on 20 November.