888 appoints three new non-executive directors to board, with intentions to add fourth in due course

Betting and gaming company 888 Holdings announced Wednesday the appointment of Andrea Gisle Joosen, Andria Vidler and Randy Freer as independent non-executive directors, while the firm also revealed it intends to add Ori Shaked to its board. 

Joosen has experience in leadership positions across a number of international technology and consumer industry companies, including chief executive of Boxer TV Sweden, and as a managing director of Nordics for Panasonic, Chantelle Group and Twentieth Century Fox.

Andrea Gisle Joosen

She has also served as non-executive director for William Hill-owned Mr Green, and is currently a non-executive director with Currys in the UK and Billerud AB in Sweden. 

Vidler has 30 years of experience in marketing and technology, and has served as CEO of independent, end-to-end creative production partner Tag EMEA since 2020. Prior to that, Vidler was the CEO of Centaur Media for six years, as well as CEO of EMI Music UK and Ireland for four years. She also held senior roles at Bauer Media and at the BBC, and was a non-executive for Gamesys, where she chaired the ESG committee. 

Andria Vidler

Freer is CEO of The Freer Company, which provides business vision and brand narrative advice. Prior to that, he was CEO of American subscription streaming service Hulu. He also led 21st Century Fox’s global entertainment and sports television assets. While as president and chief operating officer of the Fox Network Group, he served on the boards of Hulu, National Geographic and Big Ten Network. 

Randy Freer

Shaked is a gaming entrepreneur and experienced game producer who was previously employed by the group until 2017 as a game producer, online marketer and business development manager. He now acts as an early-stage investor in gaming and blockchain start-ups.

His appointment has been requested by Sinitus Nominees Limited, 888’s largest shareholder which has the right to appoint a non-executive director. The company will make a further announcement regarding Shaked in due course.

Ori Shaked 

888 non-executive chairman Lord Mendelsohn, said: “As well as further strengthening the group’s corporate governance structure, they each bring extensive and highly relevant skills and experience to our board which will be of significant benefit to the group as it delivers its long-term strategic objectives as an enlarged business post the completion of our acquisition of William Hill."

“888 has a number of very exciting opportunities ahead and I am looking forward to working closely with our strengthened board to continue to deliver the group’s growth strategy and generate further stakeholder value," he concluded. 

The appointments come after 888 completed its acquisition of William Hill’s non-US assets from Caesars last week for £1.95 billion ($2.31 billion). 888 had initially agreed in September 2021 to acquire the non-US business of William Hill soon after US operator Caesars acquired the entire business.