Grainne Hurst has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of the UK’s Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), amid a planned reorganization of its senior management. This action comes after Brigid Simmonds OBE was succeeded as Chair by Michael Dugher, the CEO of BGC at the moment.
With a lot of expertise in the regulated betting and gaming industry, Grainne Hurst, who is now Group Corporate Affairs Director at the well-known betting brand Entain, takes on her new post. Entain also announced key board appointments some months back.
An Impressive Track Record
Hurst’s professional journey spans pivotal roles within both land-based and online gaming spheres. Notably, she played a pivotal role in steering Entain’s strategic initiatives and fostering key governmental and public sector relationships. Her tenure witnessed Entain’s successful rebranding from GVC, coupled with the implementation of a globally acclaimed safer gambling strategy, “Changing for the Bettor.”
Expressing her enthusiasm for the new role, Grainne Hurst emphasized her commitment to fostering a well-regulated industry that prioritizes customer protection and welfare. She said, “I am delighted to be joining the BGC at such a crucial time for its members and the millions of customers they serve. I am very grateful to Michael Dugher for everything he has done in establishing the BGC and I look forward to working closely with him to move it forward. My focus will always be on ensuring that we have a well regulated industry which protects customers and looks after their interests. The betting industry in the UK has world leading businesses and iconic brands and I will work hard to ensure they remain so. There is much to be done and I look forward to getting started.”
Hurst’s sentiments were echoed by outgoing CEO Michael Dugher, who hailed her appointment as a testament to her exceptional credentials and unwavering dedication. He quoted, “Grainne’s appointment is excellent news for BGC and our members. She won a very tough, external recruitment process and clearly demonstrated that she has not only mission critical knowledge and experience in the regulated industry – both online and in the land based sector – but also a strong vision for continued change and improvement at the BGC. Driving further progress on safer gambling, whilst ensuring that the tens of thousands of people who work in the industry continue to have their voices heard, will remain at the heart of everything we do.
“Grainne’s wealth of experience, impressive leadership qualities, formidable campaigning skills and acumen will be essential in working with all of our members to take the BGC to the next level. She is someone who is rightly widely respected across the industry and, as I step back to become Chair of the BGC, I am confident she will work well with our talented staff to make a decisive impact as our new CEO.”
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