Entain Plc has confirmed the inbound appointment of Gavin Isaacs as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the FTSE100 gambling group.
Effective from 2 September 2024, Isaacs will take leadership of Entain, succeeding interim CEO Stella David who will transition to Chair of the Board, as announced in April’s succession plan.
Chair Designate, Stella David, said: “I am looking forward to working with Gavin and transitioning into my new role as Chair of this fantastic business. The positive progress we have already achieved means the business has strong building blocks in place for the future. I am confident that with Gavin’s leadership we will realize the ambitious plans that we have for Entain.”
A global gaming figurehead, Isaacs holds over 25 years of leadership experience in the management of gambling’s largest Plc companies.
Of distinction, Isaacs served as President and CEO of Scientific Games Corporation (SGC) from 2014 to 2018, leading the company through its transformative M&A phase, acquiring OpenBet, NYX Gaming, and WMS Industries to become the US Nasdaq’s biggest gambling technology group.
Following his tenure at SGC, Isaacs became Chairman of SBTech in 2019, leading the $3bn sale of the sports betting technology group to DraftKings, to build its own proprietary tech platform.
Gavin Isaacs, said: “I am very excited to be joining Entain. The company’s iconic brands, exceptional talent and ongoing execution of its refocused strategy will enable the business to return to a leadership position across all aspects. I am confident that Entain has an extremely bright future, and I look forward to leading the Group in capitalising on the opportunities ahead and creating value for all its stakeholders.”
The appointment of Isaacs sees Entain complete its near 8-month search for a new CEO, led by departing chairman Barry Gibson who told investors: “We are confident that his proven leadership and operational experience mean that Gavin is the right person to take Entain into its next chapter.
I would also like to thank Stella David and Entain colleagues for the significant operational improvements and progress made so far towards our strategic priorities.”
Joining Entain, Isaacs will spearhead the new corporate strategy of the FTSE100 group, to return the company to growth following corporate losses of £900m in 2023, and restore its former value for shareholders.
Devised by the Capital Allocation Committee (CAC), the strategy has called on Entain leadership to prioritize the growth of its BetMGM joint venture in North America, and to take rapid market share in under-penetrated iGaming markets.
Come September, market observers will be monitoring Isaacs’ movements closely, with regards to new executive appointments in which Entain requires leadership to advance its group-wide technology streamline via ‘Project Roamer’ and the financial reorganization of its global portfolio of 35 gaming brands.
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