Exclusive: William Hill overhauls senior management team under Ulrik Bengtsson
Operator creates two new C-level roles as group trading director Terry Pattinson and CIO Paul Durkan decide to leave
William Hill has kicked off a major restructuring of its senior management which will see the operator create two new C-level roles as group trading director Terry Pattinson and CIO Paul Durkan depart, EGR can reveal.
The London-listed operator’s executive committee was revamped to reflect the recent promotion of Ulrik Bengtsson to CEO, with Bengtsson opting to create COO and chief technology and product officer positions rather than replace his previous chief digital officer role.
An executive search for a new COO is now underway, with director of customer operations Philip Le Feuvre taking on the role on an interim basis, covering customer operations, global brand and marketing, and trading.
Hills has also appointed former McKinsey partner Satty Bhens, who has led the development of the firm’s US technology platform, as its chief technology and product officer.
The newly created role will be based in New Jersey to reflect the operator’s increasing focus on the US sports betting and will include responsibility for product and data.
Ulrik Bengtsson was named chief executive of William Hill last month
As a result of the changes, highly respected Hills veteran Terry Pattinson will leave the operator having served as group trading director since April 2010, with Betsson’s former director of sportsbook Nick Maurice brought in to lead the trading team.
Maurice, who previously worked in the City and was formerly trading director at Coral Interactive, will report into the new COO.
Meanwhile, chief information officer Paul Durkan will also leave William Hill with Pattinson later this year after 18 years with the business, including more than two years in his current role.
“While the strategy to become a digitally led, internationally diversified business remains in place the changes to the executive team aim to improve delivery through a simplified structure with clearer accountability,” a William Hill spokesperson said.
Following the management changes, the managing directors of the UK retail and US divisions, Nicola Frampton and Joe Asher respectively, remain in place, while UK online MD Phil Walker and international MD Patrick Jonker will now both report directly to Bengtsson.
Both Walker and Jonker previously reported into Bengtsson in his previous role as chief digital officer.