SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The board of Entain Plc are reported to be in ‘advanced discussions’ to appoint Danish executive Jette Nygaard-Andersen as new chief executive of the FTSE100 betting group.
Sky News reports that Nygaard-Andersen, the former EMEA Chief Executive of Swedish media conglomerate Modern Times Group, leads the pack to replace Shay Segev who announced his resignation last week, joining global OTT sports platform DAZN.
Nygaard-Andersen has served as an Entain non-executive director since December 2019, advising the FTSE firm on effective new market expansions and its digital strategy with regards to core platforms.
Should Nygaard-Andersen be confirmed, the executive would become the first female to lead a listed UK gambling enterprise.
Sky News added that Entain wants to announce a swift CEO replacement following Segev’s departure, as the company fends off continued takeover interest by US wagering partner MGM Resorts.
Informing investors of Segev’s departure, Entain underscored that his decision had no part in the board’s decision to reject a £8 billion approach by MGM Resorts – which chairman Barry Gibson stated had ‘significantly undervalued’ the firm’s future growth prospects.
Beyond MGM interest, the Entain board maintains that it is fully committed to delivering on the objectives of its new ‘corporate charter’ announced in 2020 – as it seeks to lead on social responsibility and sustainability disciplines.
