People news 21 May 2015
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (15 May to 21 May 2015)
PKR CEO Malcolm Graham departs
Chief exec leaves the poker operator after almost a decade to take up VP role at UK-based mobile platform developer Gametech
PKR has lost is second senior executive this year with CEO Malcolm Graham exiting the poker operator after almost a decade at the helm.
Graham confirmed his departure to eGaming Review last week and said it was “time to move on” after being offered “a great opportunity” at UK-based mobile platform developer Gametech.
“It was a mutual decision. Businesses evolve and I wanted to do something else and that’s what we agreed to do,” Graham told eGR.
Graham has moved into the role of vice president at Gametech and will be responsible for business development, geographic expansion and marketing, and will report directly to President and founder Jason Drummond.
Ladbrokes senior management reshuffle continues
Ladbrokes senior management reshuffle has continued with the operator this morning announcing group commercial director John Pettit will leave the firm later this year.
The news of Pettit’s departure comes just weeks after Ladbrokes’ MD of digital Jim Mullen took over the reins from beleaguered incumbent Richard Glynn, kick-starting a series of top table promotions.
Pettit will stay on in the role until July to “ensure the smooth handover of his responsibilities”, although the operator said it has no plans to fill his vacant role.
Seven days in regulation:
Ladbrokes appoints new head of digital product
Ladbrokes has promoted head of mobile product Dipen Nagda to the role of head of digital product as chief executive Jim Mullen continues to mould his senior management team.
London-based Nagda will report into Andrew Bagguley, who recently assumed the director of digital position vacated by Mullen on 1 April following the departure of CEO Richard Glynn.
The appointment of Nagda follows a raft of senior changes at Ladbrokes since Glynn’s departure with Mullen’s top table now unrecognisable from just a few weeks ago.
888 finalises board changes as CEO Mattingley steps down
888 Holdings’ new executive director Itai Frieberger has said the company will continue to operate as normal after Brian Mattingley stepped down as CEO.
At the company’s annual general meeting last week, 888 finalised board changes announced last year which included Mattingley switching from chief executive to the new role of executive chairman following the retirement of non-executive chairman Richard Kilsby.
The changes also saw chief operating officer Frieberger appointed as a director of the company and will continue to oversee day-to-day operations along with chief financial officer Aviad Kobrine.
In other people news, the Dutch Gaming Authority (Kansspelautoriteit) chief executive Marja Appelman has been elected for an additional two years to the board of the Gaming Regulators European Forum (GREF).