Future Anthem adds finance specialist as CFO
Laura Bird brings 15 years of finance experience, including spells with Ladbrokes Coral, to data science firm
Former Ladbrokes Coral and Gaming Realms executive Laura Bird has joined customer data and AI analysts Future Anthem as CFO.
Bird returns to the igaming industry after two separate spells with Ladbrokes Coral and a stint with supplier Gaming Realms.
She originally joined Ladbrokes in May 2013 as a financial reporting manager before joining NBC Universal in April 2015.
Bird returned to Ladbrokes Coral, initially in a consultancy role, before being named synergies integration business partner in September 2016.
She was then named digital financial controller in April 2017 before joining Gaming Realms in November 2017 as group financial controller.
After leaving Gaming Realms in 2019, Bird held finance director roles at Tau Marketing Services and Access Intelligence Plc.
Bird’s experience in finance stretches back 15 years having started as an audit executive at BDO LLP in Cambridge.
As CFO, Bird will spearhead the company’s financial planning as well as working alongside CEO Leigh Nissam and the board to outline investment strategies.
Bird said: “I am delighted to have become part of the Future Anthem family.
“Having spent many years working within the industry it’s abundantly clear to me that this is a hugely exciting company with ambitions to match my own. I could not be happier to be able to play a part in this ongoing journey,” she added.
Nissam added: “ Laura has a highly tuned commercial approach that will unlock value and potential across the business and for our partners, helping drive us forward as we continue our expansion into 2023. Appointing her as our chief financial officer is a real statement of intent.”
In the last 12 months, Future Anthem has grown its workforce by 30% including adding Emma Ferguson as head of people, Matt Nichols as general manager of the Americas and Ian Tibot as chief product officer.