People News 17 October 2013
The latest people moves from the egaming industry in the last seven days (11 October to 17 October 2013)
Gala Interactive CMO Czajkowski to depart
Chief marketing officer Alex Czajkowski to return to UK at end of the month to be replaced by Phil Walker
Gala Interactive chief marketing officer Alex Czajkowski is set to leave the Gibraltar-based company at the end of October after opting for a return to the UK.
Former Gala Coral remote managing director Phil Walker has been appointed as Czajkowski’s replacement, taking up the role of Gala Interactive marketing and customer operations director.
Czajkowski joined Gala Interactive, a division of the Gala Coral Group, in January 2012 and helped the company with its re-launch of its GalaBingo.com and GalaCasino.com platforms in July and May 2012 respectively.
Although his next role is still unknown, Czajkowski told eGaming Review that he has “a few irons in the fire” and after nine-years abroad is moving back to the UK for family reasons.
Amaya communications director steps down
Amaya’s director of communications Carl Zide has left the company to become head of PR at social network Badoo.
Zide spent just over a year in the role, which he assumed after his previous employer Ongame was acquired by Canadian supplier Amaya for up to £20m in October 2012.
At poker network Ongame he served as communications manager for more than three-and-a-half years, responsible for internal communication, employer branding, partner and market communications.
Seven days in people news:
OPAP board reshuffles as Emma Delta takes control
OPAP’s executive board has undergone a radical overhaul after Emma Delta took control of the Greek monopoly last Friday.
The equity fund concluded the purchase last week and immediately appointed Czech banker Kamil Ziegler as its new chairman and chief executive as part of a wider reshuffle that has seen ten changes made to the 11 member board.
“During a time of transition for the domestic economy, we are committed to investing in the company and in Greece over the long term,” Ziegler said.
Ziegler was installed as chief executive of Czech gambling monopoly Sazka in 2011 following its sale to a joint venture involving international financial group PPF and Czech investment company KKCG.
PAF appoints new comms director
à land-based operator PAF has appointed a new director of communications following the partial retirement of incumbent Inger Holmström.
Holmström is replaced by Ander Sims, who has worked in PAF’s PR team for a number of years before being appointed head of press at the operator two-and-a-half years ago. He took over the role of comms director on 1 October.
“During the time I’ve worked here, Paf has grown in many ways. Having learned from Inger and many other colleagues, I now feel ready to take on more responsibility within Paf,” said Sims.
Lord Moonie stands down from bwin.party board
Lord Moonie has stepped down as a non-executive director from bwin.party’s board with immediate effect, in what is the third change to the company’s board in the last month.
Lord Moonie joined the PartyGaming board in December 2007, before becoming a senior independent director nine months later and remaining on the board following the company’s merger with bwin Interactive in March 2011.
Prior to his time at PartyGaming, Moonie was the Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy between 1987 and 2005, holding the position of under secretary for state at the Ministry of Defence between January 2000 and June 2003.