Philip Yea appointed as bwin.party chairman

Bwin.party announced the appointment of Philip Yea, former CEO of private equity and debt management financiers – 3i Group plc. Yea is set to replace Simon Duffy, who the operator had announced had stepped down from the position in a December trading update.

Yes appointment as Chairman of the operator has been met with positive reaction. The Ft.com labelled the appointment as ‘bringing in a heavy hitter to the online gaming company’. Yea has a solid background in managing multi-national organisations, having been Fianance Director of Guinness and Diageo.

It is thought that Yea will have a vital role in implementing bwin.party’s new strategy, as the company looks to strengthen its position in regulated igaming markets, and operationally move away from restricted ‘grey areas’.

bwin.party are set to focus on new igaming channels, focused on acquiring and retaining players through mobile initiatives.

Yea commented that the London-listed igaming company was at an “interesting stage in its development. There are some exciting opportunities and challenges for the business as it looks to leverage its technology, further reduce costs and build shareholder value through development of its regulated business.”