With comings and goings commonplace across the industry, Raketech, PressEnter Group and Allwyn are among those to have seen changes to their teams this week.
Raketech
Raketech and CEO Oskar Mühlbach have jointly agreed to go their separate ways due to different views on the company’s strategic direction.
With Mühlbach departing from a role he has held since December 2019, Co-Founder and former board member Johan Svensson will become acting CEO until a new permanent replacement has been appointed.
Ulrik Bengtsson, Chair of the board in Raketech, commented: “During his four years as CEO, Oskar Mühlbach has led the company through a strategic transformation and a growth journey. As Mühlbach and the board of directors have different views on the strategic considerations for the company going forward, we have agreed to part companies.
“The board is confident in appointing the co-founder and former board member Johan Svensson to lead the company until a new permanent CEO is in place. The board would like to take the opportunity to thank Oskar Mühlbach as he has played an important role in the company’s success over the past four years. Thanks to his leadership, the company has a strong foundation to build upon moving forward.”
A founder at Raketech, Svensson stepped down from the company’s board to focus on his Chief Commercial Officer role. He was previously CEO of Raketech Group Holding until 2017, before becoming CCO and working with M&A and business integrations.
Raketech added that its full-year guidance for 2023 remains unchanged.
PressEnter Group
PressEnter Group has promoted Hampus Eriksson to the position of Deputy CEO.
Eriksson will continue as Chief Product Officer too, a role he has held for the past two years, helping to rebuild the company’s product capabilities and processes.
Lahcene Merzoug, CEO of PressEnter Group, said: “Hampus has achieved great things since joining PressEnter Group and this promotion is a reward for his hard work. This will also help to free up my time so that I can focus more on strategy and long-term projects.
“I have worked with Hampus for more than ten years. He is a highly experienced executive and product specialist and knows exactly how to run a business that is as effective as it is efficient. Through his bold leadership and natural talent, I am confident that we will continue to progress at pace over the months ahead.”
As Deputy CEO, Eriksson will be responsible for the operation’s strategies and goals, ensuring they are fully executed throughout 2024 and beyond.
Eriksson added: “Following the management buyout, the company is in a much stronger position with the foundations in place to deploy smart, effective strategies for growth.
“We are combining this with an incredibly talented team, and a skilled, ambitious C-Suite to ensure that we not only meet but exceed our goals. I am thrilled to have been promoted to the role of Deputy CEO and look forward to working alongside Lahcene to lead this organisation to the greatness I know it can achieve.”
Light & Wonder
Light & Wonder has appointed Michael Marchetti as a board of directors member, effective January 15.
Marchetti previously served as a director of SciPlay Corporation, whose remaining public shares were fully acquired by Light & Wonder in October last year.
At Light & Wonder, Marchetti will stand for re-election at this year’s annual meeting.
“We are pleased to welcome Michael to the Light & Wonder Board as a new independent director,” commented Jamie Odell, Executive Chair of Light & Wonder.
“Michael has a wealth of mobile gaming experience and a strong financial background that will help us continue to maximise value for our shareholders.”
Currently the CFO of Age of Learning, Marchetti has held various leadership positions in both financial institutions and gaming companies, including Merrill Lynch, Electronic Arts, and Buffalo Studios.
Marchetti added: “I’m excited to join the Light & Wonder Board at this time. Light & Wonder is operating from a position of strength, and I look forward to applying my experience and passion for the business, along with my fellow directors, to deliver value to the shareholders of this great company.”
GameOn
GameOn Marketing has added Erin Gallagher as a Content Strategist.
With a degree in International Relations, Gallagher was previously part of the SBC editorial team from 2018 to 2023 in the roles of Journalist, Media Executive, Senior Media Executive and Media Manager.
Commenting on her appointment, Gallagher stated: “I am thrilled to be joining the GameOn team. The company’s specialised focus on B2B PR in the igaming sector perfectly aligns with my expertise and passion. I am eager to contribute my skills and insights to further elevate GameOn’s standing in the industry.”
Andy Blackburn, Chief Operating Officer at GameOn Marketing, added: “Erin brings with her a wealth of experience, as well as a broad range of skills and contacts.
“Her deep understanding of the industry, coupled with her media management skills, will undoubtedly strengthen our offering to the industry as GameOn continues to grow in 2024. It’s fantastic to start the year with such great news.”
Hong Kong Jockey Club
The Hong Kong Jockey Club has promoted Moray Taylor-Smith to the position of Executive Director of Security, Integrity and Information Security, effective January 15.
Reporting to CEO Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Taylor-Smith will also be a member of the company’s board of management. He has been a part of the company since January 2020, assuming the position of Director of Security & Integrity in March that year.
Taylor-Smith will be responsible for the security and integrity of the Club, helping to combat criminal and corruption risks, as well as mitigating the risk to intangible Club assets.
He will also be in charge of information security strategy and policy, including cyber security, managing information security risks, risk assessment, risk mitigation, risk monitoring and incident response, as well as strengthening the Club’s incident management capability.
Before joining the Club, Taylor-Smith was the Regional Head of Major Investigations and Financial Crime Threat Mitigation for HSBC in APAC. He was also previously the Regional Security Officer for Fidelity International.
Allwyn
Incoming UK National Lottery operator Allwyn UK has appointed Steve Parkinson as its Brand and Marketing Director.
Parkinson will be replacing Ivor Burns, who is stepping down in April after 14 years with the National Lottery.
Allwyn’s Chief Commercial Officer, Lucy Buckley, commented: “In Steve, we have appointed a proven marketing leader who has been integral to the development and growth of key media brands. We’re excited about what he can bring to Allwyn and the National Lottery, with his wealth of experience in senior marketing roles.
“We’re hugely grateful to Ivor for everything he’s done for the National Lottery and would like to thank him for his enormous contribution. We’ll continue to benefit from his expertise right up until April as he hands over the reins to Steve – but he leaves the National Lottery’s brands in great shape.”
Parkinson joins Allwyn from Bauer Media, where he held senior marketing and business leadership roles, including overseeing the growth and brand development of Kiss, Magic, Absolute Radio, Jazz FM and Planet Rock.
He was most recently Head of Strategic Partnerships and Events for Bauer and Executive Lead for its national charity, Cash for Kids. He has also worked in Director and marketing roles at EMAP and Chrysalis for the Heart, Galaxy and LBC brands.
“I’m delighted to be joining Allwyn at such an important time as we approach the start of the fourth National Lottery licence period,” stated Parkinson.
“The National Lottery is a huge part of UK life and contributes so much to society through good causes funding – so to come on board at the very beginning of a new era, with a new operator, is incredibly exciting.”
