FairPlay Sports Media bolsters C-suite with two new hires
Oddschecker parent company adds Jerome Underhill and Andrew Smith to its ranks as the pair aim to help the affiliate scale across new markets
FairPlay Sports Media (FPSM) has made two additions to its C-suite with the appointments of Jerome Underhill as COO and Andrew Smith as CFO in a shake-up of the group’s top team.
The arrivals come after the oddschecker parent company recently established its Technologies division, with the duo expected to spearhead FPSM’s growth as it aims to expand into new markets.
Underhill has previously occupied senior positions at several tech firms, most recently serving as the general manager of international for Microsoft-owned advertising platform Xandr.
Prior to Microsoft’s $1bn acquisition of the company, Underhill had worked his way up the ranks at Xandr, initially arriving as senior vice-president (SVP) of its Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) division.
His last role before the firm came under Microsoft ownership saw Underhill hold the title of SVP for Xandr’s EMEA, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Latam segments.
Underhill’s longest tenure at one company came as SVP of EMEA and international at AppNexus, a position he held for over a decade between April 2013 and November 2023.
In his new position, Underhill will be tasked with “bringing innovation” to all the brands that fall under FPSM’s umbrella.
Reflecting on his new role, Underhill said: “The FairPlay Sports Media vision is hugely exciting to be a part of.
“We’re operating at the crossroads of sports media and betting technology, two sectors with major growth potential as they evolve with the catalyst of AI at their cores, and I’m very confident we’ll play a major role in advancing both for the better.”
Meanwhile, Smith’s tenure as CFO, which officially began in December, follows a near eight-year spell at Playtech.
He joined the London-listed supplier in 2015 as head of investor relations and became Playtech CFO in January 2017. He remained in the C-suite for just shy of six years until his exit in November 2022.
Smith also led investor relations efforts, as well as strategic projects, for banking platform Temenos.
Between April 2007 and June 2012, Smith was a director of corporate broking for Deutsche Bank, based out of its London offices.
Smith added: “With strong leadership and committed investment partners in Bruin Capital, FairPlay Sports Media has a platform to continue on its growth trajectory that will see us playing a pivotal part in the global sports media and betting ecosystems for years to come.”
Stuart Simms, FPSM group CEO, welcomed the two new hires, adding: “Jerome and Andrew bring a wealth of expertise in their respective fields that together provide the organisational foundations and ambitious visions that will progress FairPlay Sports Media to its global strategic goals.
“The impact and value they’ve added already is significant, and they’re only just getting started.”
Last week saw FPSM lose a member of its executive team, as former chief product officer (CPO) Kelly Brooks stepped down from her position after a little over a year in the role.
Brooks called time on her FPSM tenure one month after the affiliate completed its integration of AI prediction platform Quarter4, a company founded by Brooks in July 2018 alongside Danijela Covic.
Quarter4 was acquired by FPSM in January of last year for an undisclosed fee, before Brooks, then CEO of the AI-powered company, was named CPO in April 2024.
Arnold Ash is EGR’s Executive Recruitment Partner. They support ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.