Operator News
UK – Rank announces trio of new appointments
By Phil - 14 August 2023
Rank has announced a series of appointments that will see the British operator having a new Chief Operating Officer, a new interactive Managing Director and new interactive Chief Financial Officer.
Jon Martin will take on the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer for the Group, a role he will take up this Summer. Mr Martin is currently Managing Director for Rank Interactive, a role he has held since 2020. Jon will transition back to the UK from Gibraltar later this year.
In the new role, Jon will continue to have accountability for the strategy and performance of Rank Interactive, as well as taking overall responsibility for the development and delivery of Rank’s cross-channel customer experience and service for the Mecca and Grosvenor brands.
Utilising Rank’s proprietary technology, Jon’s focus will be on the delivery of a unique and seamless cross-channel experience which best meets the needs of customers playing in Grosvenor and Mecca venues and online.
John O’Reilly, CEO of Rank, said: “I am delighted that Jon will take on a broader role here at Rank, testament to the hard work and delivery of our continued success across the digital gaming market. I have no doubt that Jon taking on these broader responsibilities will benefit Rank immensely.”
Jon Martin said: “I am excited about the prospect of delivering the next stage of Rank’s growth, focussing on a more seamless brand experience between our venues and digital offerings, whilst continuing to oversee our upward digital trajectory. A key priority will be working more closely with our venues’ management teams, whilst utilising our proprietary technology to deliver a more compelling customer experience for existing and new cross-channel customers.”
Rank has also announced that Andrew Peat will join the company as Managing Director, Rank Interactive, taking up his role later this year.
Mr Peat joins from William Hill where he is currently the Sportsbook Director, a role he has performed since joining the company in November 2018. Prior to joining the betting and gaming industry he was the Commercial Director at Dixons Carphone Group and the Commercial Propositions Director at tech start-up firm, Ctrlio. He will be based in Gibraltar and will be responsible for the development and execution of Rank’s UK facing digital strategy.
He will report into Jon Martin who is taking up his role as Chief Operating Officer later this Summer.
Sam Allanson will join the company as Chief Financial Officer, Rank Interactive, taking up his role later this year. He joins from Entain where he is currently the Commercial Finance Director, responsible for delivering value-adding financial initiatives across the Group. Sam joined Entain in June 2017, following the merger between Ladbrokes and Coral and prior to the acquisition by GVC, where he was Commercial Finance Director at Ladbrokes. Before Ladbrokes, Sam held Senior Finance positions at Sky plc.
Mr Allanson will continue to be based in Gibraltar and will report into Rank Group CFO, Richard Harris. Earlier this summer, Rank announced the appointment of Andrew Peat who is joining the Interactive team as Managing Director. Rank Interactive is Rank’s UK-facing digital business.
Mr Allanson said: “Rank Interactive is one of the most exciting places to be right now in the betting and gaming industry, as the business continues to grow and play a larger part in the success of the overall Group. Drawing from my previous experience in the sector, I look forward to contributing to Rank Interactive’s ongoing success and to support the finance team in delivering the ambitious plans that Rank has for its digital growth. I am excited to be part of a senior management team with such a clear vision for growth.”
