SBC News Camelot appoints Nigel Railton as UK CEO, tasked with 'returning the National Lottery to growth'

Camelot appoints Nigel Railton as UK CEO, tasked with ‘returning the National Lottery to growth’

UK National Lottery operator Camelot has today published its 2017/18 strategic review detailing major changes and initiatives for its operations and enterprise.

Having undertaken a strategic review seeking to ‘return the National Lottery to Growth’, Camelot governance has confirmed the appointment of Nigel Railton as UK CEO. The appointment sees Railton the former Camelot International CEO, replace Andy Duncan (resigned April 2017) as UK leader on a permanent basis.

Prior to his leadership announcement, Railton has led Camelot’s internal strategic review as the operator seeks to overturn a downturn in lottery tickets sales and fundraising for national charities.

In its half-year update, Camelot has announced that total National Lottery ticket sales for the six months from 1 April to 23 September 2017 were £3,280.4 million, a decrease of 3.2% on last year’s first-half performance.

During the period, Camelot generated direct returns for National Lottery Good Causes of £746.6 million 1, a reported 4.7% lower than the corresponding six months of last year.

Seeking to overhaul the UK National Lottery downturn, Railton and Camelot executives will implement a four-point plan to reverse company performance, focusing on the following dynamics; ‘1. Improving the range of games, 2. Enhance retail offering, 3. Upgrade digital capabilities and 4. Reinvigorate The National Lottery brand’.

Commenting on his appointment and future Camelot initiatives, Nigel Railton said: “It’s a privilege to have been given the opportunity to run Camelot’s UK business. As operator of The National Lottery, we’re a company like no other – a commercial organisation that raises billions of pounds for the public good.

“Coming off the back of last year’s disappointing sales performance ­– and in the face of the very real threat posed by intensifying competition from the wider gambling sector, which benefits from significant taxation advantages, and continuing doubts over the economy – I don’t underestimate the challenge ahead of us. It is going to take some time to turn things around.

“However, given the areas for improvement that we’ve identified during the strategic review, Camelot’s impressive track record of success over the long term and the first-class team that I’ll be working with, I firmly believe that we have an excellent platform to get The National Lottery back where it should be next year – in growth, creating more winners than ever before, and delivering, even more, money for the millions of people and thousands of communities for whom National Lottery funding is so crucial.”

Check Also

SBC News Allwyn promotes Lotto everyday winners in advertising refresh of National Lottery

Allwyn promotes Lotto everyday winners in advertising refresh of National Lottery

The National Lottery has launched its new advertising campaign, refreshing the Lotto jackpot to UK …

SBC News Allwyn begins bold revamp of National Lottery for benefit of good causes

Allwyn begins bold revamp of National Lottery for benefit of good causes

Allwyn UK has a ‘new bold vision’ for the National Lottery, as it takes on …

IGT

IGT to continue as core systems supplier of the National Lottery

IGT Plc will maintain its position as the principal technology systems supplier for the National …