Kimber to step down from IOM role

The Isle of Man’s head of egaming development, Garth Kimber, will step down after almost five years in the role, eGaming Review has learned.

Kimber has chosen to return to the private sector with the move described as amicable by Tim Craine, director of the Island’s Business Development agency. Craine has also revealed that the process to recruit a replacement for Kimber has already begun.

Kimber has told eGaming Review that his new role would be as “CEO of a new Asian egaming licensee on the island”, but could not go into any more detail. He will begin his new role in February, and will be joined at the company by current Isle of Man egaming development manager Lisa Underwood.

“I want to contribute to keeping gaming moving on the island, but will be moving into the private sector after more than four years as a consultant to the government,” he added.

Kimber’s main responsibility during his time has been to develop and grow the egaming industry on the Island. Recent numbers have shown an increase of 7.4% in the number of gaming employees.

Approximately 645 individuals were employed in the industry in December 2010 with the number set to rise to 693 by the end of this year. The sector is one of the fastest-growing industries on the Island, growing by 24% in 2010.

Among the more senior egaming appointments made by companies based on the island within the last year are PokerStars’ recruitment of former Walt Disney Company senior MD Eric Hollreiser as head of corporate communications and former Microsoft European sales director Alex Payne as CMO.

Following Kimber’s departure, John Shimmin, minister for economc development commented: “Garth Kimber has brought great energy to the position over the past four and a half years, and he will leave large shoes to fill. But we are confident that, as a result of the work he has done, the sector is strong and that we will find the right person to build on the success to date.”