Sky Bet former boss Richard Flint leaves the company after successful integration with The Stars Group, news emerged on Wednesday
Richard Flint, the former boss of online gambling giant Sky Betting & Gaming, has announced his departure after nearly two decades with the company. Mr. Flint joined Sky Bet in 2001 and was appointed as the operator’s CEO in 2008.
He served as the gambling business’ boss until the fall of 2018 when Canadian gambling powerhouse The Stars Group acquired Sky Bet in a £3.4 billion deal that created the world’s largest publicly listed online gambling company.
Mr. Flint had an instrumental role in Sky Bet cementing itself as one of UK’s and the world’s largest online betting and gaming operations. The Leeds-headquartered firm first focused its attention on its domestic market where it built a solid customer base. It then expanded into Germany and Italy, two of Europe’s largest gambling markets.
Last year, Mr. Flint was crowned UK’s highest rated CEO in the 2018 Employees’ Choice Awards by Glassdoor. Of his leadership at Sky Bet, he said that “the biggest misconception is that as a boss and leader you have to have all the answers and be ‘the smartest person in the room’” and that “if you try to be [the smartest person in the room]
then you won’t get the best out of your team and people.”
In Great Shape
Following the acquisition of Sky Bet by The Stars Group, Mr. Flint was appointed as Executive Chairman of the Leeds-based operator, while Ian Proctor replaced him as Chief Executive.
Mr. Flint will step down from his current role at the company at the end of June to pursue other business opportunities, it became known on Wednesday during The Stars Group’s analysts call following the publication of the gambling group’s quarterly results.
The Stars Group’s CEO, Rafi Ashkenazi, said Wednesday that as Sky Bet’s integration “has progressed really well” and “the business is now on the strong path as part of The Stars Group,” Mr. Flint has decided to move on after his assistance with the transition.
Mr. Ashkenazi went on to say that Sky Bet’s ex-boss is leaving the company “in great shape” and that under the management of Ian Proctor and Conor Grant, they are confident they will be able to “maintain our unique culture and help deliver success over the years.”
The Stars Group reported a 47.7% increase in quarterly revenue to $580.4 million and a 33.6% increase in gross profit to $417.7 million. The company attributed the revenue growth to the acquisition of Sky Betting & Gaming and the BetEasy business in Australia in 2018.
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