People round-up 12/01/12
A round-up of the key industry moves from the past week (6 - 12 January 2012)
New CEO for GigaMedia
Everest Poker part-owner GigaMedia has appointed a new chief executive for the second time in less than a year after Yichin Lee stepped down from the role to “to return to his own professional services business”.
Lee, who took up the role nine months ago after the previous incumbent Arthur Wang retired, has been replaced by John Stringer.
Stringer formerly served as CEO of Taiwan-based computing solutions provider Wyse Technology between 1998-2006, heading up its US$1.2bn Taiwan Stock Exchange float in 1999, and also had a spell as executive VP and general manager of Network Associates Inc in the 1990s before the company was renamed McAfee.
The former chief executive is the second senior figure to leave GigaMedia in recent months, after president and COO Thomas Hui stepped down in November.
Elie replaces Black Friday lawyers
Chad Elie, one of the alleged payment processors indicted on Black Friday, has appointed a new law firm to represent him as counsel of record in his ongoing defence.
New York firm Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP has been brought in by Elie, replacing William Cowden LLC, who had represented him up to this point.
Three Kramer Levin attorneys – Barry H. Berke, Dani R. James and Jade A. Burns – filed their notice of appearance in the United States v PokerStars et al case yesterday.
EveryMatrix co-founder joins samvo
EveryMatrix co-founder Jesper Jensen has left the solutions provider to take over as head of trading and sportsbook with UK-based operator samvo.
Jensen had spells as CEO of BetButler and director at BetBrain before co-founding EveryMatrix in February 2008, serving as chief operating officer with the Malta and Curaçao-licensed company for more than three-and-a-half years.
His role at samvo will see him develop the Alderney-licensed operator’s new and existing betting products, while also taking on responsibility for the group’s trading division.
Bally Technologies CEO elected AGA chairman
Bally Technologies CEO Richard Haddrill has been announced as the new chairman of the American Gaming Association (AGA), replacing Keith Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming, in the role.
Haddrill, who served as vice-chairman for the past two years, will serve a two-year term as president after being elected to the position at the AGA’s annual meeting in December. MGM Resorts International president and CEO James J. Murren will replace Haddrill as vice-chair.
Siers to join Betfred
Betfred has appointed Phil Siers to manage the operator’s Totepool operation, the company has announced.
Siers, who will join the company on 1 April this year, spent two years managing director of Satellite Information Service’s LBO divison. He will replace Jason Brautigan as MD of Totepool, who is leaving to pursue other interests.
Brautigan and Siers previously worked together at the Tote, prior to the state-owned bookmaker’s £265m acquisition by Betfred in June last year.
Merge network site Lock Poker has made Kevin Vandersmissen the 18th player to join its ‘Lock Pro Elite’ stable.
The Belgian player, who has more than US$800,000 in career earnings, joins the likes of 2011 World Series of Poker Europe runner-up Chris Moorman and World Series of Poker bracelet winner Brett Jungblut.
Customer support advisor Sean Fowler has left Mr Green after almost two years with the casino operator. Fowler has moved to Rackspace Hosting, a company specialising in cloud computing, where he will act as a support specialist.