People news 6 November 2014
The latest people news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (31 October to 6 November 2014)
Tombola managing director Leon Thomas exits
Mecca Interactive’s former digital development director Murray Chisholm replaces Thomas as MD at the online bingo operator
Tombola’s managing director Leon Thomas has left the online bingo operator after three years in the role.
Thomas held the role of managing director for more than three years after joining the firm from PartyGaming in April 2011 where he had worked as director of regulatory compliance from April 2006.
He is believed to be remaining in the online gambling industry and is moving to an as yet unnamed operator with his new role expected to be announced in the next few weeks.
Thomas will be replaced at Tombola by Mecca Interactive’s digital development director Murray Chisholm, who will be based out of the operator’s Gibraltar office.
Bet365 names Moran as first Australia CEO
Bet365 has named Daniel Moran as the inaugural CEO of its Australia-facing arm as it works to turnaround the loss-making business.
Moran, who served as CEO of Sportingbet Australia from 2000 to 2002 prior to long-serving boss Michael Sullivan, joined bet365 last month.
The 46 year-old Australian spent a year as group IT director for Sportingbet in the UK between 2002 and 2003, before taking on the role of CEO at World Gaming for three years. He has been working outside of the egaming sector since 2006.
The move is understood to be have become a necessity as the Australian business reaches a scale which requires an experienced leader based in the country where it now employs 210 staff.
Seven days in people news:
Unibet head of poker to leave for Relax Gaming
Unibet’s head of poker Martin Stålros is to leave the egaming operator to join its poker software supplier Relax Gaming as chief operating officer (COO).
A Unibet spokesperson confirmed that Stålros will be leaving the operator at the end of the year and eGR understands he will join the Estonia-based supplier early next year as its newly created COO.
During his time at Unibet, Stålros oversaw the launch of the operator’s new standalone poker product after leaving Microgaming’s MPN Network in favour of a casual player-focused client in partnership with Relax Gaming.
Nick Rust to leave Ladbrokes to head up BHA
Nick Rust will leave his position as retail director at Ladbrokes early next year in order to become the new chief executive at the British Horseracing Authority (BHA).
In a statement to the market yesterday (Wednesday), Ladbrokes confirmed Rust was to leave the company in April and would take no further part in group discussions concerning horse racing or the horse racing industry as he serves out his notice period.
Ladbrokes said there were “no immediate plans to replace Nick Rust’s position in a like for like role”.
William Hill shuts Philippines base amid allegations of illegal gambling activity
William Hill is under investigation for allegedly “carrying out of illegal gambling activities” in the Philippines, forcing the temporary closure of its Manila-based service centre.
In a statement released this week the firm said it had been served notice of an ongoing investigation being carried out by the Philippines National Bureau of Investigation which began last Tuesday.
William Hill has since shut the 490-strong office which opened on an outsourced basis in 2008 before being switched to an independent operation in November 2012 and provides customer support and back office functions to its online business.