People news 26 February 2015
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (20 February to 26 February 2015)
Gala hires new bingo head
Industry newcomer Victoria Reed appointed to lead the Playtech-powered Gala Bingo brand
Gala Coral has appointed marketing specialist Victoria Reed as head of Gala Bingo.
Reed, who joined the firm earlier this month, will be based out of Gala Coral’s Gibraltar offices and report directly into Gala brand director Alison Digges.
The new recruit has been tasked with leading Gala’s online bingo operations and broadly assumes the responsibilities vacated by Digges following her promotion from bingo director in August.
Reed takes on a growing bingo business which last year achieved an 18% increase in gross profit and a 25% hike in stakes, against what has broadly been a flat industry-wide market.
Bwin.party appoints two new directors
Bwin.party has announced the appointment of Liz Catchpole and Barry Gibson as independent non-executive directors to replace two senior board figures who will step down from their roles next month.
Catchpole and Gibson will replace Rod Perry and Helmut Kern, who currently hold the roles of chairman of the Remuneration Committee and chairman of the audit committee, following the firm’s AGM meeting.
Bwin.party commenced the search to replace Perry and Kern back in May 2014, with both retiring in accordance with UK Corporate Governance Code after each serving 10 years with the firm.
Seven days in people news:
Bit8 to double in size following Intralot deal
Bit8 chief executive Angelo Dalli expects the supplier to double in size over the next 18 months as it ramps-up operations in support of its strategic alliance with international lottery firm Intralot.
The deal, which was announced at the ICE Totally Gaming exhibition earlier this month, will see Intralot gradually integrate Bit8’s platform across all of its operations and Dalli said the supplier would have to bolster its current headcount of 40 if it is to cope with the demand.
Dalli said the deal would have a “huge effect” on the day-to-day running of the business and described it as having taken Bit8 “to the next level” with Intralot spread across more than 50 countries.
PKR COO Leon Walters departs
PKR co-founder and chief operating officer Leon Walters has left the firm after more than a decade at the poker operator.
A spokesperson for PKR confirmed Walters’ departure and said his responsibilities would be shared among the firm, with chief technology officer Jeremy Longley set to take on “a number of exciting projects”.
“Leon played an integral role in developing the award-winning desktop and mobile software for which PKR has become known, and we wish him the best of luck for the future,” the spokesperson added.
GTECH has named James Hurley as its new senior vice president of investor relations, the firm announced this week.
Hurley will oversee analyst and investor engagement strategies, as well as promoting GTECH’s business objectives in the investor community.
He will take up the role with immediate effect, and report directly into GTECH’s chief financial officer Alberto Fornaro.