People news 15 January 2015
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (9 January to 15 January 2015)
Betfair names new director of gaming operations
Former Paddy Power casino head Liam Wallwork handed the role to replace Matt Robinson, who left the firm in October
Betfair has promoted head of growth operations Liam Wallwork to director of gaming operations, replacing Matt Robinson who left the company in October last year.
Wallwork, who served as Paddy Power head of casino before joining Betfair in 2013, has now assumed responsibility for Betfair’s gaming division, including its strategic direction.
A Betfair spokesperson confirmed Wallwork’s appointment but would not comment further on the firm’s internal structure.
Wallwork, who has also held positions at Sky Betting & Gaming, will be based at Betfair’s London headquarters in Hammersmith rather than the firm’s Gibraltar office, where Robinson had been situated.
ZEAL Network names Jonas Mattson as CFO
ZEAL Network has appointed Jonas Mattson as the firm’s chief financial officer (CFO), ending a five-month search to fill the role.
The London-based lottery operator, formally known as Tipp24, began the hunt for a new CFO in September following the departure of Andreas Keil.
Mattson joins ZEAL after holding numerous senior financial roles in the telecommunications and technology sectors including CFO and EVP at network communications firm O3b Networks.
He also previously worked at Ericsson and will take up his new role at ZEAL on 1 February in addition to serving as a member of the company’s executive board.
Seven days in people news:
William Hill‘s general counsel Thomas Murphy left the firm at the start of the month in order to take up a position with travel business Travelport.
Following his departure, Murphy’s responsibilities have been transferred to former William Hill general counsel and head of commercial Michael Leadbeater, who takes up the newly-created role of director of group legal services.
Murphy spent eight years at William Hill during which time he also held the positions of head of business systems and managing director of the Americas.
NetPlay has confirmed the appointment of former commercial director Bjarke Larsen as its permanent chief executive with immediate effect, making permanent the interim role handed to him in September last year.
Larsen replaced Charles Butler who assumed a non-executive chairman role and Butler said he was “delighted” to make the appointment permanent.
“Bjarke has been with the group for eight years and with his significant company and industry experience is well placed to lead the company in its next stage of development,” Butler said.
Betting and broadcast industries provider Satellite Information Services (SIS) has announced the appointment Paul Rees as the company’s new head of marketing for the SIS Betting division.
“It’s an exciting time to join the business, with the company’s push into the digital age well underway,” Rees said.
“SIS Betting is currently building on the core product of data and pictures for betting shops by developing new products to meet the growing demand for digital products and services,” he added.