Ryan retires as bwin.party co-chief
Former PartyGaming CEO to stand down from his "dream job" on 15 January - Norbert Teufelberger will assume role of group CEO.
Bwin.party co-chief executive Jim Ryan is to retire from his duties on 15 January, the London-listed operator has announced.
The former Excapsa and St Minver CEO joined PartyGaming June 2008, replacing Mitch Garber, before taking on joint leadership responsibility with bwin chief Norbert Teufelberger when the two operators merged to form bwin.party in March 2011, something he described this morning as his “dream job.”
Ryan explained that he was planning to leave the industry for the time being, saying: “Having given over 11 years of my life to the online gaming industry, I am now looking forward to returning to Canada and enjoying more time with my family.” From 15 January, Teufelberger will take on the role of group CEO.
Of his time as co-CEO he added: “As we approach the final stages of our merger integration I am immensely proud of what we have achieved and know that with Norbert at the helm, the business is in excellent hands and is particularly well-placed for the future. “
Since the merger, Ryan played a part in securing partnerships in the United States with MGM, Boyd Gaming and Californian tribal group the United Auburn Indian Community.
The operator followed those agreements with October’s partnership with Zynga, which will see the social casino market-leader launch a UK-facing real money gambling offering in the first half of 2013.
Bwin.party chairman Simon Duffy described Ryan as a key figure in ensuring the merger was completed successfully, saying: “Together with Norbert, Jim has been a driving force behind the merger. His expertise and passion for the Group’s gaming products have been instrumental in ensuring that the merger integration has proceeded as planned, putting the Group in an excellent position to remain at the forefront of the global online gaming market.
“The transition to regulated markets is continuing and we are entering a period of intense product and technology innovation that will now be led by Norbert Teufelberger, whose experience, as one of the pioneers in online gaming, is probably unrivalled,” he added.
Teufelberger himself said of Ryan: “Jim has been an excellent business partner over the past two and a half years. His experience, drive and vision have proven to be a huge asset for our company and I have had the pleasure of working with him side-by-side, both as a colleague and a good friend. We wish him every success in whatever he decides to do next.”