Entain has announced that Gavin Isaacs will become its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) starting on September 2. Isaacs takes over from Stella David, who has been interim CEO since Jette Nygaard-Andersen’s departure late last year. David will transition to chairing the board at the end of September, succeeding Barry Gibson.
Isaacs, a seasoned executive in the gambling industry, brings a wealth of experience to Entain. Most recently, he served as chair of Games Global, a position he is leaving immediately. He has also held board roles at DraftKings and SBTech.
From June 2014 to December 2016, Isaacs was President and CEO of Scientific Games. He later became vice chairman of the company, now known as Light and Wonder. Earlier in his career, he was CEO of Shuffle Master, COO at Bally Technologies, and President of Aristocrat. Before entering the gambling industry, Isaacs spent over 12 years in the legal sector.
Isaacs expressed his enthusiasm for his new role at Entain. “I am very excited to be taking the helm at Entain. The company’s iconic brands, exceptional talent, and refocused strategy will enable us to regain leadership across all aspects,” he said. “I am confident that Entain has an extremely bright future. I look forward to leading the group in capitalizing on opportunities and creating value for all stakeholders.”
Outgoing interim CEO Stella David also welcomed Isaacs’ appointment. “The positive progress we have already achieved means the business has strong building blocks in place for the future. I am confident that with Gavin’s leadership we will realize the ambitious plans we have for Entain,” she stated.
Barry Gibson, the outgoing chair, added, “We are confident that Gavin’s proven leadership and operational experience make him the right person to take Entain into its next chapter. I also want to thank Stella David and our colleagues for the significant operational improvements and progress made towards our strategic priorities.”
Entain has been searching for a permanent CEO since December last year when Nygaard-Andersen resigned. She had led the company since January 2021. Upon her departure, Nygaard-Andersen noted that Entain was in a “stable and sustainable” position. Her resignation came shortly after Entain resolved a long-standing case with a settlement of £585 million with the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service related to historical activities in Turkey.
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