RGA appoints two new directors as Rossiter departs
Trade association recruits Paul Morris and Pierre Tournier as replacements for director of policy and projects Sue Rossiter
The Remote Gambling Association (RGA) has appointed two new directors to replace the recently departed director of policy and projects Sue Rossiter as it looks to expand its regulatory focus.
Rossiter left the RGA earlier this month to join the Financial Ombudsman Service, and her duties will now be split between two new director roles, filled by former British Gambling Commission head of remote gambling strategy Paul Morris and Instinctif Partners consultant Pierre Tournier.
Morris has already begun his role as director of regulatory affairs while Tournier will take up the role of director of government relations on 1 August and will be based out of Brussels.
The two roles replace the single project and policy position previously held by Rossiter, and mark an expansion of the RGA’s regulatory and policy focus.
“When Sue moved on we decided that the priorities for RGA members are regulation and taxation, not just in the UK, but in member states,” Brian Wright, RGA’s director of business, said. “So we took the opportunity to create two new roles.
“There is just so much going on in various jurisdictions that we felt to best serve our members we needed to create these roles, so there are regular points of contact with people who have the dedicated regulatory and taxation experience,” he added.
Wright said that Morris’ eight years working for the Gambling Commission will be a particular asset to RGA members, which include bet365, William Hill and Betfair.
Morris said he was delighted to be joining the RGA, and was “looking forward to working with members to tackle the common challenges that the remote gambling industry faces”.
With many jurisdictions in the early stages of regulation, the RGA expects new markets to be a focus in the coming months.
“Brussels hasn’t moved as fast as we would have wanted in terms of infringement cases, and in the absence of the European Commission running with those you’ve really got to talk to the regulators and officials in member states to try to convince them of the merits of the regulated online gambling sector,” Wright said.