Betsson brings in new gaming and sports product directors

Swedish operator Betsson has hired new product directors for gaming and sports as it continues to overhaul its management team.

Cíara Nic Liam has been poached from William Hill, where she served as head of gaming, to serve as Betsson’s new gaming product director, while former Svenska Spel executive Joakim Thor will oversee the operator’s sportsbook as sports product director.

“Both Cíara and Joakim have vast gaming experience from different parts of the industry,” Betsson chief strategy officer and acting chief product officer Peter Zäll commented. “With them joining Betsson, our product team is further strengthened and will stand even stronger for the future.”

Liam held responsibility for all William Hill’s Gibraltar-based gaming products in her previous role, as a senior member of the operator’s management team in the territory. She joined William Hill in 2016, following a three-year stint as head of casino and games for Rank Group, and has also served as a product and games executive at Paddy Power.

“Cíara has a proven track record of delivering strong results for the products she manages and ensuring revenue growth,” Zäll said of Betsson’s new gaming product director. “I look forward to having her on board.”

Thor, meanwhile, most recently served as served as senior director of advisory services for professional services network PWC, advising clients on business strategy and digital transformation, having held the role since February 2018. Previously he spent six years at Svenska Spel, rising to the role of director of product management, responsible for all sports products and services.

“Joakim showed substantial increase in online market share for the sports segment under his responsibility,” Zäll said of Thor’s tenure at Svenska Spel. “He also had a strong focus on improving the customer experience, which is always a focus for us at Betsson.”

In related news, Joey Hurtado has been promoted to managing director of Betsson’s casino brands. Previously head of gaming and live, he has worked for the operator since 2017, following stints at GVC Holdings, Kindred Group and 888.

“Joey has done a great job as head of gaming and live and with his vast experience in gaming I am confident that he will continue to deliver excellent results in his new position,” Zäll said. “This promotion is another example of the talent we have within our company and the possibilities there is to grow and develop professionally for those willing and able.”

The trio of new appointments are the latest in an ongoing overhaul of Betsson’s management, designed to ensure the company can continue its growth once its Back on Track turnaround strategy concludes at the end of Q1, 2019. This has already seen Zäll poached from Svenska Spel for the chief strategy officer role, with Peter Frey to join from media corporation Bonnier News as chief product and technology officer.