Ladbrokes owner Entain ‘lines up’ first female gambling boss
Ladbrokes owner Entain is said to be lining up the first female chief executive of a major listed UK gambling firm as it pushes back against a £8bn takeover approach from MGM.
Entain, formerly known as GVC, is in advanced talks to appoint board member Jette Nygaard-Andersen as its new boss, Sky News reported.
It comes days after the shock departure of chief executive Shay Segev, who this week said he was stepping down after just seven months in the role.
Segev will exit after a six-month notice period to join sports streaming platform DAZN as co-chief executive.
Nygaard-Andersen’s appointment has not been finalised but is likely to be announced as soon as next week, according to the report.
It comes at a crucial time for the bookmaker, which rejected MGM’s takeover bid saying it “undervalued” the company.
Just days later Entain agreed to buy Swedish rival Enlabs in a £250m deal.
If confirmed, the appointment will mark the first time a major British listed gambling group has had a female boss.
Bet 365, a private company, is run by Denise Coates. She is one of the UK’s highest-paid bosses, taking home £323m in 2018.
Danish executive Nygaard-Andersen also serves on the board of Coloplast and has previously worked at Accenture.
An Entain spokesperson said a decision on Segev’s succession had not yet been made.