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NEWS IN BRIEF
Pincus steps down as Zynga CEO
Zynga chief executive and founder Mark Pincus has stepped down from his position and has been replaced by Don Mattrick. Pincus will remain chairman of the board and chief product officer. Mattrick has spent the last three years as president of Microsoft’s interactive entertainment business.
BWIN.PARTY SEES SENIOR MANAGEMENT DEPARTURES
Business development director Alen Lang and WPT boss Steve Heller move on
Three bwin.party senior managers have left or are set to leave the operator, the first high-profile departures since CEO Norbert Teufelberger initiated a streamlined business strategy in April. Business development director Alen Lang, group technology director Tod Martin and World Poker Tour (WPT) chief executive Steve Heller are all leaving the firm. Lang, most recently responsible for bwin.party’s US strategy, is to step down after eight years with the company. In the past 18 months he has established bwin. party’s US presence, clinching deals with MGM Resorts, Boyd Gaming and California tribe United Auburn, while also signing a UK-facing partnership deal with social operator Zynga. Meanwhile, as part of a cost reduction exercise at the WPT office in Orange County, California, WPT chief executive Steve Heller has been made redundant.
Heller joined Party Gaming in November 2005 and served as CEO of its Asian business before heading up the bwin. party-owned WPT. WPT president Adam Pliska, previously general counsel and secretary to the board of directors, will assume the role of WPT chief executive. Former PartyGaming CTO Tod Martin is also heading for the exit following the recruitment of new bwin. party CTO Guy Duncan in January. It is understood Martin was relieved of his role with Duncan’s appointment and has since been working on the operator’s technology for its USfacing operations, with a full departure expected later this year. The moves could be followed by more internal changes as the operator aims to improve operational efficiency, according to a source close to the matter.
Betfred appoints Luke Brill as Australia MD
Luke Brill has been named as managing director of Betfred’s Australian business as the operator edges closer to securing its first licence in the country. Brill began his role on 1 July as Betfred’s first full-time employee in the region and he will begin recruiting for a core operational team including traders, marketing and legal and finance experts.
Weizer leaves Sportech board as Playtech sells stake
Playtech CEO Mor Weizer has stepped down as a nonexecutive director of Sportech’s board following the Israeli supplier’s sale of its 10% stake in the operator. Weizer had held the position since Playtech acquired a strategic stake in Sportech in January 2010 for around £10m, and his resignation came days before the firm sold its entire stake in the company.
CRUDDACE TO LEAVE BETFAIR AFTER NINE YEARS
Corporate and legal chief to step down after recent regulatory wins
Betfair director of corporate and legal
affairs Martin Cruddace is to leave the business this year after just shy of a decade at the London-listed operator. Cruddace, who is also the company secretary, joined Betfair in July 2004 and will step down at an unspeci?ed date in the autumn. Before joining the business, he had spells with London law ?rm Schillings, where he was a partner, and Mirror Group Newspapers. Cruddace’s departure comes on the back of William Hill losing its legal appeal
regarding betting exchange customers’ levy contributions, and progress towards exchange regulation has been made in both Italy and Spain in recent months. He was also heavily involved in last July’s ?ve-year agreement between Betfair and British Racing which has seen the operator commit to donating 10.75% of horseracing revenues to the sporting body. Cruddace’s departure was announced just weeks after the rejection of a 950p per share bid for Betfair by CVC Capital Partners.
GTECH G2 vice-president Scott steps down
GTECH G2 vice-president William Scott has left the software provider after 18 years. eGR understands Scott’s departure is the result of a broader company restructuring plan as it moved to streamline it commercial operations and increase its focus on the US online market.
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