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Europe
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Chris McGinnis has been named Playtech’s new chief financial officer, replacing Andrew Smith on November 28. Smith also decided to step down from his position as an executive director. McGinnis has been at Playtech since 2017, and is currently deputy chief financial officer and director of investor relations at Playtech.
The Rank Group’s non-executive director and chair of the remuneration committee Steven Esom has notified the board of his intention to step down on December 31, 2022. Esom spent six years on the board. He will be replaced on the board by Lucinda Charles-Jones, who has been appointed as the designated non-executive director for workforce engagement with effect from January 1, 2023.
Alejandro Pérez García will be the new general director for FBM, a casino games company, in Spain. He previously served as the country manager for Zitro in Italy and as the customer engineering manager for Telefónica in Spain.
Neil Hayward has been chosen as the first chair of racing’s Industry People Board. The creation of the Industry People Board follows a process overseen by the British Horseracing Authority, Horserace Betting Levy Board and the Racing Foundation. Hayward is tasked with recruiting, training and retaining British racing’s workforce and promoting welfare, equality, diversity and inclusion.
Chris Matthews has stepped down as the CEO of Buzz Bingo. Matthews will be replaced by the current chief operating officer, Dominic Mansour. Mansour joined Buzz Bingo at the beginning of 2021 and has been credited with growing its digital business. Previous to Buzz Bingo, Dominic held senior leadership positions at Bragg Gaming and PokerStars.
Nasdaq-listed Swedish digital slots developer Lady Luck Games reported the election of Calvin Lim, president and CEO of Philippine gaming technology specialist DFNN Inc, to its board, the company said in a statement. Lim was elected after purchasing more than 15m shares in the company.
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North America
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Anthony “Tony” Rodio, chief executive of Great Canadian Entertainment has retired as CEO and a director. The board of directors has appointed Matthew Anfinson, previously the company’s chief operating officer, to succeed Rodio as CEO. Prior to joining Great Canadian, Anfinson was senior vice president, operations at Caesars Entertainment in Las Vegas. Great Canadian also appointed Jordan Banks as its first executive chairperson.
Behn Dayanim has joined Orrick as a partner in the Washington, D.C. office to lead the firm’s digital commerce and gaming practice. He joins Orrick from Paul Hastings, where he chaired both the Advertising, Gaming & Promotions and Data Privacy & Cybersecurity practice groups.
Joe Asher, president of sports betting at IGT, will join USAbility’s newly formed advisory board in a non-executive capacity, and as a shareholder. Asher assumed his role at IGT in 2021, having been CEO of William Hill US since 2012, following William Hill’s purchase of Brandywine Bookmaking.
React Gaming Group, a Montreal-based esports and iGaming company, named Leigh Hughes as its permanent CEO. Hughes was named interim chief executive in June 2022, replacing president and CEO Laurent Benezra.
Carla Schaefer, vice president of responsible gaming with Scientific Games, has been appointed to the National Council on Problem Gambling’s 15-member board of directors. Schaefer oversees Scientific Games initiatives, including its Healthy Play program. She is the only lottery executive currently serving on the board.
Kinectify, a compliance software and advisory company, has appointed Seth Young to its board of directors. Young currently serves as managing partner at The Strategy Organization and chief strategy officer at Fifth Street Gaming Digital. He joined Fifth Street from PointsBet where he served as the company’s chief innovation officer.
BetMGM has hired Rhea Loney as chief compliance officer. Loney will oversee BetMGM’s compliance department, including online and retail operational compliance, registration and licensing, anti-money laundering, financial compliance, and responsible gaming. She joins BetMGM from Penn Interactive, a subsidiary of PENN Entertainment, where she served as vice president of compliance, regulatory affairs & strategy.
Eileen Moore Johnson, Vegas Loop general manager of The Boring Company, has been elected to the governing board at the International Center for Responsible Gaming. Johnson previously served as executive vice president and chief human resources officer for Scientific Games. She also spent two decades at Caesars Entertainment in various executive roles.
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Asia-Pacific
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Australian casino operator The Star Entertainment Group named two non-executive directors to replenish its board after a series of resignations over compliance failures. Chartered accountant and Pendal Group chairman Deborah Page will join the board on February 1, 2023, and veteran finance executive Toni Thornton will join immediately upon receiving regulatory approvals, Star said in an Australian Securities Exchange filing on November 11.
Australian gaming machine manufacturer Aristocrat Leisure has promoted deputy CFO Sally Denby to CFO, the company said in a press statement on November 14. This followed a global search for a replacement for Julie Cameron-Doe, who left for Wynn Resorts earlier this year. Denby has been in the deputy’s post since February after joining the company in 2015, and will take up her new role upon receiving regulatory approval.
Gaming Laboratories International has appointed electronics industry sales manager Brian Huang, a Philippine national, as a client service representative focusing on the growing Philippine market, according to a November 7 statement.
Pandemic-damaged operations at SJM Holdings’ Macau integrated resort Grand Lisboa Palace have been compounded by the resignation of property president Paul Baker — as well as other executives including Lu Tsai, vice president of casino marketing, and Vince Leat, vice president of loyalty marketing and customer relationship management — GGRAsia reported on November 15, citing an SJM spokesperson. No replacements have been named.
Former Twitter India senior legal counsel Kapil Chaudhary has been appointed general counsel of Indian online skill games operator Junglee Games. Chaudhary previously worked at IBM, Schlumberger and other firms on a wide range of regulatory issues.
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Chris McGinnis named as Playtech’s new chief financial officer, Anthony “Tony” Rodio, chief executive of Great Canadian Entertainment has retired as CEO and a director, Australian casino operator The Star Entertainment Group named two non-executive directors to replenish its board after a series of resignations over compliance failures.
