Degree53 hires Andy Furnival as new technology lead

Industry design, innovation and software development agency Degree53 has strengthened its technology division through the appointment of Andy Furnival as Technical Director. 

Furnival, who previously held the position of Head of Technology at William Hill, will be tasked with managing Degree53’s technology strategy, as well as the oversight all of the technical teams, and support to the leadership team.

As part of his new role, he will lead the technology and development strategy, working with development, infrastructure, architecture, DevOps and DBA teams. Furnival will work with them to ensure a clear and achievable strategy to drive operational procedure at Degree 53 in order to provide products and functionalities to their clients. 

Andrew Daniels, Managing Director at Degree 53, commented on the new appointment: “I’m very pleased that Andy has joined Degree 53 and he will be a brilliant asset in leading our technical development. Since establishing a gaming division two years ago, we’ve been heavily investing in technical talent to build high-end products for the online gambling industry. 

“Over this period, we’ve recruited solution architects, database administrators, automation testers and infrastructure engineers. All of this is part of our drive to create state-of-the-art technology for operators to improve their services and bring innovation to the industry. 

“I’m very proud of what we’ve already achieved and how many skilled individuals Degree 53 has hired over this time. Andy brings unrivalled expertise and leadership capabilities that will drive our development. I welcome Andy to the team and am confident he will transform our technical capabilities.”

During his time at William Hill, Furnival’s responsibilities included managing strategic projects, such as maintaining compliance and regulatory standards, as well as streamlining sportsbook platforms.

He oversaw three business divisions with over 130 employees spread across Europe. His role was to implement technical strategy and establish an efficient operating model with good working practices to be able to scale it in response to business demands.

Furnival added: “I am extremely happy to be joining such a modern company that places technical expertise and innovation at its core.  I’m a firm believer in a learning culture and striving for continuous improvements, and that strategic goals must be balanced with pragmatism but always with a clear purpose of delivering value.”

“My approach is to establish a working environment that allows teams to make efficient and effective decisions through a culture of trust, learning and safety. I believe that with my background in product development and strategy at the operator side, I will lead our teams to deliver even more robust and scalable products for our clients.”