Rational appoints Rafi Ashkenazi as CEO
Ashkenazi to head up PokerStars and Full Tilt brands with interim boss Michael Hazel due to depart
Rational Group has appointed its former COO Rafi Ashkenazi as the firm’s new chief executive, replacing interim CEO Michael Hazel who will depart the company.
Ashkenazi, who joined Rational at the start of 2013 having formerly served as Playtech’s COO, had been appointed Amaya’s vice president of strategy earlier this year.
Hazel will remain at Rational for a brief transition period after Ashkenazi, who will report to Amaya CEO David Baasov, assumes the role on Monday.
“Rafi has been working very closely this year with our executive management team and returns to Rational Group with an even greater knowledge of our corporate strategy, vision and goals,” Baazov said.
“Combining this knowledge with his operational expertise makes him an ideal leader for the Rational Group,” he added.
Ashkenazi said he was looking forward to the challenge and described the firm as having “great opportunities in the near future” with its upcoming launch in New Jersey, casino expansion and new sportsbook.
Last month Rational parent company Amaya Gaming was told it must fire four senior executives linked to PokerStars’ breach of America’s Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) by 30 January 2016, as part of a deal which saw the operator gain its long-awaited New Jersey licence, although the executives were not named.
The firm also said Rational Group COO Israel Rosenthal and director of business development and strategy Guy Templer will continue in their roles and report to Ashkenazi, with all three executives based in the Isle of Man.