Confirming the news in a LinkedIn post, Grounsell expressed his excitement for his new role at Entain. Having been with the group since August 2019, he brings a wealth of experience to the position. Previously, Grounsell served as the deputy managing director for digital at Entain, starting in January this year. Before that, he held the position of managing director of UK and Ireland digital for five months. With a background in the sports industry, he spent two and a half years as the managing director for Entain’s UK and Irish sports brands. Additionally, he served as the chief marketing officer for Ladbrokes and Coral for five months. Prior to his time at Entain, Grounsell held the role of managing director at Neilson Financial Services and worked as the global marketing director for Travelex. He also had marketing and sales positions at insurance business RSA, Capital One, and BT. During his four years with Unilever, Grounsell worked as a brand manager for the Dove and Lux brands.
Entain’s recent financial report for the first half of its 2022 fiscal year showed an 18% increase in net gaming revenue compared to the previous year. This growth was primarily driven by the reopening of its retail betting shops following the easing of Covid-19 restrictions. Retail revenue for the six months ending on June 30 exceeded expectations, with a 243% increase year-on-year. The removal of many Covid-19 measures allowed retail operations to return to near normal. However, online revenue experienced a decrease during this period.
