Entain planning to open more global tech hubs to fuel growth
In an in-house interview, CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen also reiterates the need to encourage more women into STEM roles
Entain CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen has said the FTSE 100 company is looking to open new tech hubs across the globe.
Speaking as part of an in-house interview alongside McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, the Dane detailed how important the operator’s vast technology teams are to its success.
Entain boasts more than 7,000 staff across its tech hubs, which include offices in Hyderabad and Manila
Nygaard-Andersen said she was hoping to expand on this figure and increase the group’s global presence.
“Technology powers everything we do; it’s the breathing heart. It’s part thinking about technology and how it can enable us to create better products but also how to use technology to protect our players,” she said.
“We have technology hubs across the world. We are constantly thinking about new places that we set up technology hubs because you need to develop your capabilities. It is critical for the business and we invest in it all the time.
Nygaard-Andersen and Brown took part in a fireside conversation as they also shed light on the pair’s partnership which looks to bring women into STEM careers.
The Entain CEO also took the chance to touch on the importance of bringing women into the tech industry.
Nygaard-Andersen referenced data that suggests 24% of the UK STEM workforce are women and noted that figure will be even smaller in other countries.
She said: “That is just such a loss of talent. I think it makes total business sense to have diverse and inclusive workplaces. I can’t see how we can afford losing out on half of the talent pool.
“I think we’re doing well. Almost 50% of our employees are women, and in technology its 33%. I think the industry average is 16% to 17%. But when you get closer to the top, the numbers don’t look like that so it’s clear that we have work to do.”
Touching on the partnership with McLaren, the CEO added: “I think the best thing you can do is to come together. There’s so much we can do as companies but when companies like ours come together, hopefully you can start to change things.”