The team for the lottery includes several new recruits. Andria Vidler has been announced as the permanent replacement for interim UK CEO Robert Chvátal. Alan Artz has joined as the chief financial officer, while Chris Lyman will become the chief operating officer. Mark Smith will start in November as the group chief technology officer. Other key figures include Gaby Heppner-Logan as the chief assurance and participant protection officer, Lucy Buckley as the chief commercial officer, Martin Novak as the interim chief data officer, and Alastair Ruxton as the chief strategy and corporate affairs officer. The team also includes Sam Sheriff as the chief people officer, Harry Willits as the general counsel, and Jenny Blogg as the operations director. Eddie Bennett and Paul Lumb will serve as transformation directors for operations and technology. The new leadership will begin on 1 October.
Allwyn UK, the National Lottery licensee, is preparing to take control of the National Lottery in February 2024. Allwyn was officially awarded the fourth National Lottery license a year ago, marking the end of Camelot’s 28-year tenure. The Gambling Commission selected Allwyn as its preferred applicant for the European-facing lottery operator. Camelot initially challenged this decision but later withdrew. Allwyn acquired Camelot’s UK operations in November. The CEO of Allwyn, Chvátal, will hand over the leadership team to Vidler in October, stating that they have a talented team committed to delivering for communities across the UK.
Current Camelot co-CEOs Neil Brocklehurst and Clare Swindell are supporting the handover before their departure. Chvátal expressed his gratitude to the Camelot leadership team and wished them the best for the future. Some executives from Camelot will join Allwyn, including Jenny Blogg as the commercial director and Gaby Heppner-Logan as the director of regulatory affairs. Sam Sheriff also switched to Allwyn as the chief people officer.
