Revealed: Ladbrokes Coral senior management team

The soon-to-be merged Ladbrokes Coral has made a raft of senior appointments as its chief executive Jim Mullen begins to form his new-look management team.

In an email circulated to staff late this morning, seen by EGR, Mullen revealed 20 new appointments – 17 selected from current Ladbrokes and Coral staff and three external hires.

Among the external appointments is former William Hill and Betfair director, and current Playtech non-executive director, Ian Chuter, who will become the enlarged firm’s digital chief operating officer.

Other appointments include Ladbrokes chief marketing officer Kristof Fahy, who will take on the new role of chief customer officer, while Ladbrokes group communications director Donal McCabe will become director of corporate affairs for the combined entity.

Both Fahy and McCabe will report directly into Mullen.

Coral’s Dave Brown will continue as trading director for the merged firm, Ladbrokes’ Nick Zajdel will be omni-channel director and Coral gaming director Mark Kemp has secured a product director role.

Brown, Zajdel and Kemp will all report into COO Andy Hornby, who had his appointment confirmed last year, along with Mullen and CFO Paul Bowtell.

Also reporting into Hornby will be Gala brand director Alison Digges, who becomes Gala brand MD, Phil Walker, who takes on a more digitally-focused chief marketing officer role than he currently has at Coral, and Gala Coral FD James Bunn, who will become digital CFO.

Reporting into Bowtell will be Ladbrokes’ Adam Greenblatt, who will assume a similar corporate development director at Ladbrokes Coral, Vinod Parmar will become director of treasury having served as group treasurer at Ladbrokes, and Gala Coral’s Paul Tymms will be head of investor relations.

Meanwhile current Gala Coral CEO Carl Leaver, who will lead the integration of the two firms as executive deputy chairman before leaving in 12 months’ time, will be assisted by Gala Coral business development director Steve Clift, who will become integration director.

Land-based focused appointments include Mark Chambers as retail COO and Rob Wood as retail CFO – both currently work for Coral, while the remaining two external hires see Daniel Cloke join as group human resources director from Vodafone UK and Charlie Sutters join as director of tax from TUI Travel.

Last month EGR exclusively revealed staffers at Ladbrokes and Coral were going through an interview process for the top jobs at the merged firm.

“In making these selections, we have taken account of the extraordinary ability and potential within our ranks to ensure we build the right team to take Ladbrokes Coral forward,” Mullen told staff today.

“At the same time, we have had to make some tough decisions, meaning that many highly capable and well-respected colleagues have not been selected for these positions. Discussions are now taking place with these individuals about their next steps.

“Over the coming weeks, the selected leaders will work with Andy, Paul and me to design the detailed organisation structures for their respective teams. We hope to complete this task in October, ready for their inclusion in the group consultation process.

“Everyone will then get their chance to be considered for roles at the new organisation process that will be run through our HR teams. We expect to announce the majority of organisational appointments by the end of the calendar year.”

Mullen also said the UK digital executive team would continue to be based in Gibraltar while the digital business itself would operate from London, Gibraltar, Tel Aviv and Manila offices.

The appointments remain subject to merger completion, although this is expected to take place in October after the UK Competition and Markets Authority granted approval on the basis of between 350 and 400 shop disposals.