888 looks to post-Hills acquisition stability with non-executive board appointments
Quartet of new appointments to the boardroom include ex-Hulu, Gamesys and Centaur Media executives
888 has confirmed the appointment of four non-executive directors to its board, just days after the completion of its £2bn acquisition of William Hill International from Caesars Entertainment last week.
Leading the quartet is Ori Shaked, who has been appointed to the board through the exercise of rights belonging to 888’s largest shareholder, Sinitus Nominees Limited, acting on behalf of Dalia Shaked, the wife of 888 co-founder Aaron Shaked.
Ori Shaked was previously employed by 888 as a game producer, online marketer and business development manager until 2017 and has served as CEO of live gaming streaming company Madskil Gaming since January 2019.
The Israeli is joined by Andrea Gisle Joosen, who has a history with William Hill, previously serving as a non-executive director of Mr Green before the online casino company’s acquisition by William Hill in 2018.
Most recently serving as chairman for Sweden-headquartered podcast company Acast AB, Joosen has also held executive level roles for businesses including Boxer TV Sweden, Panasonic, Chantelle Group and Twentieth Century Fox.
In a nod to its US ambitions, 888 has added Randy Freer, former CEO of American subscription streaming service Hulu, to its board.
Freer, currently the CEO of brand consultancy business The Freer Group, has significant media experience, having spent three years as president and COO of Fox Networks Group and more than 16 years as co-president of Fox Sports Media Group.
During his time with Fox, he also served on the Hulu, National Geographic and Big Ten Network boards as a non-executive director. Freer was also previously a senior adviser to McKinsey Consulting in the technology, media and telecommunication sectors.
A 30-year veteran of the marketing and technology sectors, new 888 non-executive director Andria Vidler has served as CEO of brand creative agency Tag EMEA since 2020.
Prior to this, she spent six years as the CEO of Centaur Media, and has held senior roles at EMI Music UK & Ireland, Bauer Media and the BBC. Vidler has experience of serving on the board of a gaming company, having chaired the ESG committee of Gamesys Group.
888 non-executive chairman Lord Mendelsohn welcomed the new board appointments, highlighting the benefits of diversifying the newly enlarged business with experienced members.
“As well as further strengthening the group’s corporate governance structure, they each bring extensive and highly relevant skills and experience to our board which will be of significant benefit to the group as it delivers its long-term strategic objectives as an enlarged business post the completion of our acquisition of William Hill,” Lord Mendelsohn explained.
“888 has a number of very exciting opportunities ahead and I am looking forward to working closely with our strengthened board to continue to deliver the group’s growth strategy and generate further stakeholder value,” he added.