People moves 22/03/12
A round up of industry moves from the last week.
Exclusive: Spain draws regulator replacement shortlist
Two state attorneys named as possible replacements for Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio “ deputy general director of gaming management also departs.
A shortlist of two senior legal professionals has been drawn up by Spain’s Ministry of Economy & Finance to replace its recently departed gambling regulator, eGaming Review can reveal, with Carlos Hernández Riera said to be the preferred candidate according to two sources close to the matter.
Hernández Riera has been heavily linked to the position and could be installed by mid-April, with one source calling the move “a political appointment”. “This has not yet been confirmed by the official state bulletin”, the source added. “I think he will be join in mid-April after Easter, and in the meantime Laura Minguitos will continue to hold the role.”
Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio resigned from his role at the regulatory body last week with immediate effect, with civil servant Minguitos stepping in as his interim replacement. At the time a source told eGaming Review that Alfonso’s departure could lead to further delays in the opening of the market, already put back six months by the newly-elected El Partido Popular government, while a replacement is found: “This now creates a situation of uncertainty that we could do without in the run-up to regulating the market,” the source explained.
SkyBet hires new director of gaming
Sky Betting and Gaming has hired Glyn Powditch as its new director of gaming, with responsibility for the operator’s Sky Vegas, Sky Poker and Sky Bingo brands.
Powditch arrives from Carcraft owner UK Car Group, where he was group head of online. He has also had previous spells as Online Financial Controller at online and home shopping retailer Shop Direct and Head of Business Analysis at hotel affiliate Laterooms.com.
He said of the new role: “This is an extremely fast growing industry and with Sky Betting and Gaming being a real leader in mobile and technological innovation, the business is perfectly placed to capitalise upon it.”
Seven days in people moves:
Svenska Spel appoints sports and lotteries manager
Swedish monopoly Svenska Spel has appointed Peter Zäll as performance area manager for sports and lotteries, the company has announced.
“I am very pleased to welcome Peter Zäll to Svenska Spel. He has broad expertise and experience and has worked in sales and marketing roles at several companies, both in Sweden and internationally,” Svenska Spel CEO Lennart Käll said.
Zäll was previously vice president and senior advisor at branding and design firm BAS, and spent almost four years as CEO of department store Illum A/S. He worked for Nike for almost a decade, joining as marketing director of the Nordic region in 1993, and rising to general manager of Nike Golf Europe before leaving in January 2002.
Ladbrokes veteran joins LVS
Former Ladbrokes director of information systems Nick Dutton has joined LVS as its new programme director, the sports book platform and software provider has announced.
Dutton will oversee and direct development and delivery programmes for LVS, owned by former French monopoly La Française des Jeux.
Betinternet parent company Webis Holdings has announced that finance director Damon Waddington has resigned after six years at the company, and will depart on 20 April.
Email any new moves to t.victor@egrmagazine.com with the subject line ‘eGR People Moves’.