Brian Mattingley has been appointed as the new Chairman of Playtech, succeeding Claire Milne who was the interim chairman since April 2020. Mattingley, who previously served as non-executive chairman of 888, expressed his excitement in joining Playtech. He believes that Playtech is well-positioned to maintain its market leadership and he looks forward to working with the Playtech team to drive its strategy and seize opportunities in the industry.
Mattingley brings significant experience in the online gambling sector, having joined 888 in 2005 as a non-executive director and later serving as its chief executive. His appointment as chairman in 2019 faced opposition from some shareholders, questioning his tenure on the board. Mattingley has also held positions in Gala Group, Ritz Bingo, Kingfisher Plc, and Dee Corporation.
Claire Milne, the interim chairman, highlighted that Mattingley’s extensive experience and expertise in online gambling, along with his commitment to corporate governance and stakeholder engagement, made him an ideal choice for the role. Milne expressed the board’s delight in welcoming Mattingley and looks forward to benefiting from his guidance to support Playtech’s progress and growth.
Playtech’s senior independent director, John Jackson, expressed gratitude to Milne for her work as interim chairman, acknowledging her efforts in providing continuity and stability during the pandemic.
In the meantime, Lord Jon Mendelsohn will take over as the Chair of 888 Holdings from Mattingley on 31 March. Mendelsohn, a former director of general election resources for the Labour Party, was announced as Mattingley’s successor by the operator. Mattingley expressed his pleasure in passing on his role to someone of Mendelsohn’s experience and caliber, stating that he will closely follow the group’s progress.
Mattingley will act as a consultant to 888 for two months after stepping down as chair and before joining Playtech in June. Mendelsohn, who is currently a non-executive director of 888, expressed gratitude to Mattingley for his contribution to the group and looks forward to working with the board and management team to drive the group’s growth strategy and create further value for stakeholders.
In addition, Playtech announced a partnership with Inspired Entertainment, integrating over 100 Inspired games into the Playtech Games Marketplace. This move is expected to enhance Playtech’s games offering, catering to the diverse content requirements of its customers in various regulated markets. Playtech’s commercial manager, Andrew Muir, expressed enthusiasm in adding Inspired to their list of content partners.
