888 has officially confirmed the appointment of Per Widerström as CEO and to its board of directors.
Widerström’s appointment is effective today, as he was named 888 CEO in July following the departure of his predecessor Itai Pazner.
Commenting on Widerström’s hiring earlier this year, Non-Executive Chair Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn said: “We are delighted to be able to appoint Per following what has been an extensive and comprehensive search process.
“The board unanimously agreed that Per was the clear standout candidate to lead the group to build on the strong platform for growth and value creation that has been established.
“Per has extensive experience in both public and private companies, and a long track record with a proven ability to execute value creation plans. As well as being an energetic and inspiring leader, Per brings nearly two decades of highly relevant industry expertise into the role.
“He has a strong and proven track record of driving growth and delivering transformation programmes at multiple leading online gaming businesses, and the board is very pleased to appoint someone with the skillset to deliver our objective to become a much stronger international multi-brand operator, leveraging our technology and data capabilities to drive an acceleration in growth.”
Before joining the group, Widerström was a Non-Executive Board Member for almost four-and-a-half years at Catena Media. With over 17 years of experience in the gambling industry, he has also held roles at Fortuna Entertainment Group, Casumo, Coral and bwin.
888 also noted that it will be announcing its third-quarter results on 18 October, which are expected to be below expectations following a statement from Mendelsohn last month.
In a LinkedIn post, Widerström said on his new role: “Today, a thrilling new chapter unfolds for me as I am relocating to London and taking on the role as CEO of 888 Holdings. The honour is immense to lead such an iconic company, synonymous with legendary brands like 888, William Hill, and Mr Green. I am very enthusiastic to have the opportunity to unite with the extraordinary people at 888 Holdings, ready to navigate the exciting journey ahead of us.
“The road ahead at 888 Holdings is charged with excitement and will require my complete dedication. This pivotal moment has led me to step away from my eight NED roles. I extend a massive thanks to the incredible individuals I have collaborated with over the years at Nordnet, Turbotic, Sambla Group, Qred, Bokadirekt, Casumo, Bilthouse, and Catena Media. My gratitude also goes to Nordic Capital and Sprints Capital for their unwavering trust and support.
“Here’s to keeping the channels of communication open and a fantastic week ahead for everyone. Stay tuned for more updates on the exciting journey ahead.”