Paddy Power adds ex-Asda exec as new head of brand
Leah Spears joins bookmaker to drive content and marketing divisions in first industry role
Paddy Power Betfair has appointed former Asda senior exec Leah Spears as its new head of brand.
Spears joins the Flutter Entertainment-owned brand from health and fitness platform Class-ify, where she most recently served as chief marketing officer.
Spears joined Class-ify in June 2021 as a marketing director, before her promotion to C-level in August 2021.
She previously spent more than a decade with supermarket giant Asda across a series of senior roles.
During her time with the company, she served as head of content and senior director of food communications, before finally becoming senior director of broadcast in December 2019.
In her role as head of brand, Spears will take a leading role in Paddy Power Betfair’s marketing and content output, infamous for its tongue-in-cheek approach.
Posting on LinkedIn, Spears said she was “honoured” to be joining the Irish bookmaker.
She said: “[A] dream come true. I’m head of brand at Paddy Power Betfair. What a company to be part of; I’m honoured, humbled, excited and champing at the bit to meet the whole super sharp team. Let the shenanigans begin.”
Elsewhere, Paddy Power Betfair head of UK and Ireland Joe Lee has stepped down from his position after more than 10 years with the operator.
Speaking to EGR, Lee reflected on his time with the firm as he outlined his plans for the future.