People news 7/3/13
The latest people moves from the egaming industry in the last seven days (1 March to 7 March 2013).
Ader representative elected to IGT board
Shareholders elect director from management group critical of IGT’s online strategy.
IGT shareholders have elected a new director to the gaming supplier’s board from the Ader Group, which has previously been highly critical of the gaming supplier’s online strategy and share price drop.
Despite IGT issuing a letter to shareholders recommending the re-election of the board’s existing eight directors, Ader Group representative Daniel Silvers was elected in favour of David Roberson at an annual shareholder meeting on Tuesday.
The move will come as a blow to CEO Patti Hart, who was criticised in a letter by the Ader Group in January for allowing its share price to fall as a result of poor strategic decision making.
The letter also condemned the “incredibly expensive” acquisition of social casino company DoubleDown Interactive for up to $500m and argued for a return to IGT’s core land-based slots business instead of an online strategy supposedly leaving customers “alienated”, while also claiming the eight board members did not have enough gaming experience.
Seven days in people news:
Former Full Tilt CEO Ray Bitar’s Black Friday criminal case pre-trial hearings have been put on temporary hold, as an unspecified medical condition led to a motion to delay proceedings being granted.
Judge Loretta Preska granted the continuance at a federal court last week and filed it on Monday, having cleared the courtroom to discuss Bitar’s health, with the transcript sealed to protect his privacy.
Bitar’s hearing has now been adjourned until 2 April. He handed himself into the US authorities last July and remains free on bail having pled not guilty to nine criminal charges including money laundering and UIGEA violations.
Aristocrat has appointed IGT’s former lead games developer Joe Kaminkow, who joins as senior vice president of game development. Kaminkow worked at IGT for 20 years and previously served as the supplier’s chief creative officer and vice president of game design.
PokerStars has added Spanish poker player Leo Margets to Team PokerStars Pro. Margets is a fromer Full Tilt Masters Series invitational event and EPT Grand Final Ladies event winner.