The new chief executive of the Gambling Commission has been announced as Sarah Harrison, who will be joining the regulator in September from energy watchdog Ofgem. Harrison is to join the Gambling Commission on 7 September and will become a Commissioner when she takes over from Jenny Williams as Chief Executive on 1 October 2015.
Philip Graf, Chair of the Commission, said: “I am delighted that Sarah is joining the Commission and look forward to working closely with her. We are making significant progress in our aims to raise standards in the gambling industry, empower consumers to manage the risks of gambling and to build partnership and understanding of gambling issues. Sarah has a wealth of experience in regulation along with social and consumer policy and communications – she is well placed to lead the Commission into its second decade as the regulator of commercial gambling in Great Britain.”
Harrison commented: “I am very pleased to be appointed Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, and look forward to the challenges of keeping gambling fair and safe and regulating an industry which is changing rapidly with technology. Working with the staff, industry, stakeholders and partners in government, I welcome the opportunity to build on the strong foundations laid by the Commission over the last decade.”
Harrison is currently a Senior Partner at Ofgem where she leads the Sustainable Development Division. Previously she was Managing Director of Corporate Affairs at Ofgem and before that, Communications Director. Before joining Ofgem in 2000 Sarah was the first Chief Executive of ICSTIS, the UK industry regulator for premium rate telephone services. Her earlier career was in government and public relations consultancy.
Harrison becomes the Gambling Commission’s second ever Chief Executive. Jenny Williams was with the Gambling Commission at its formation, and before that at its predecessor the Gaming Board of Great Britain, and has overseen huge regulatory change for the gambling industry in her time.