Global betting and gaming giant Entain will be undergoing another internal reshuffling as chair Barry Gibson announced his decision to step down from the board. He will be succeeded by Stella David, the company’s interim CEO.
According to the announcement, Gibson will step down by September 2024. If Entain succeeds in finding a suitable permanent CEO earlier, the chair may depart even earlier, Entain noted. The company added that its search for a permanent CEO “is ongoing and is progressing well.”
Entain pointed out that Gibson was appointed to the board in November 2019 and became chair in February 2020. During his time in the position, the outgoing chair played a key role in the company’s transformation from GVC to Entain.
In his position, Gibson oversaw the renewal of Entain’s board, its refocus on regulated or regulating markets and the recent HMRC probe into the group’s legacy business in Turkey. He was also instrumental in the company’s expansion, overseeing its EBITDA growth to £1 billion in 2023.
David, on the other hand, was a non-executive director and senior independent director who joined the board in 2021. She has been working as interim CEO since December 2023. David’s prior experiences include board positions at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, Bacardi and C&J Clark, Vue International, HomeServe, Nationwide Building Society and Domino’s Pizza Group. She also served as CEO of William Grant & Sons
David Is Looking Forward to Serving as Chair
Gibson commented on his departure, saying that he felt privileged to lead the Entain board for 4 years. While he enjoyed his time with the company, the outgoing chair added that he believes 2024 is the right time for him to retire.
I am delighted that, in Stella, Entain has an exceptional successor who knows the business well and has already proven herself to be a firm hand on the tiller in her role as Interim CEO.
Barry Gibson, outgoing chair, Entain
David also weighed in on the matter, praising Gibson as a “wonderful mentor and source of wise counsel.” She thanked him for his contributions and vowed to be a worthy successor to his role.
I am entirely focused on my role as interim CEO as we work to accelerate our operational strategy, and look forward to taking over the baton from Barry in due course.
Stella David, interim CEO, Entain
Pierre Bouchut, senior independent director at the company, thanked Gibson for navigating the company through many challenges and on behalf of the entire company thanked him and wished him all the best. Bouchut added that he believes David’s corporate experience would make her a perfect successor to the chair position.