Playtech brings on board BDO finance director

Playtech has strengthened its corporate advisory team with the appointment of BDO finance director Neil Offord to the role of chief analyst.

Offord, who joins Playtech this week following more than 20 years at BDO, has previously advised the firm on corporate deals ranging from the supplier’s recent £333m acquisition of financial trading firm TradeFX to its £1bn listing on London’s main market back in 2012.

During his time at BDO, Offord also advised on a number of other high-profile gaming-related transactions including Intertain’s £650m acquisition of Jackpotjoy from Gamesys, bwin.party’s buyout of PXP Solutions and Stride Gaming’s recent admission to London’s AIM market.

Offord will be tasked with analysing Playtech’s corporate strategy as well as playing an important role in the firm’s due diligence processes.

News of Offord’s hire comes after Playtech chief executive Mor Weizer yesterday said the firm remained on the lookout for new M&A opportunities, despite announcing the £460m purchase of financial spread betting firm Plus500.

Weizer and CFO Ron Hoffman revealed the deal had taken “little more than a week” to thrash out with Hoffman telling analysts the firm had needed to call on both internal and external resources in order to complete the due diligence required in a short space of time.

The firm also said it was in the process of carrying out due diligence on another potential acquisition in the finance sector after exercising an option held as part of the TradeFX deal.