Hills brings back Aaron Johnston to boost online
Johnston appointed as online consultant to CEO James Henderson almost two-years after leaving firm
William Hill has appointed former Playtech stalwart Aaron Johnston as a consultant to chief executive James Henderson as the firm looks to return its stuttering online business back to growth, eGaming Review has learned.
Johnston will primarily be based at William Hill’s Gibraltar offices where eGR understands he has been tasked with analysing and improving the performance of the operator’s digital business, including establishing best practice across its numerous divisions.
The hire marks a return to the firm for Johnston, who previously carried out a consultancy role at Hills before his departure at the start of 2014.
Sources close to William Hill told eGR the re-appointment will have come as a “shock” to many senior members of the online team.
Prior to working as a consultant, Johnston was chief executive of Playtech’s B2B bingo arm Virtue Fusion, and a close ally of founder Teddy Sagi, before resigning in 2012 after nearly nine years at the supplier.
Speaking to eGR, a William Hill spokesperson confirmed the appointment although no detail regarding the scope Johnston’s role was offered.
“Aaron is carrying out some consultancy work for the digital business,” the spokesperson said.
Johnston re-joins the business just weeks after the firm reported a 37% year-on-year fall in Q3 profits and amid the roll-out of Project Trafalgar, the operator’s new front-end responsive website.
Earlier this month the operator lost two directors after gaming innovation chief James Curwen and sportsbook director Matt Warner left to join Gamesys and Coral respectively.