GGRAsia – Ramsey to join Aristocrat board as non-exec director

Ramsey to join Aristocrat board as non-exec director

Sep 13, 2016 Newsdesk Industry Talk, Latest News

Australia-based slot machine maker Aristocrat Leisure Ltd announced on Tuesday that Patrick Ramsey (pictured) is stepping down as chief digital officer and joining the company’s board as a non-executive director.

The change will take effect from October 1, “subject to receipt of all relevant regulatory pre-approvals,” the firm said in a filing to the Australian Securities Exchange. “Upon regulatory approval, the board will confirm Mr Ramsey’s appointment as a director of the company,” according to Tuesday’s filing.

Mr Ramsey had been appointed to the role of chief digital officer with effect from January 1, 2016. Aristocrat said that a global search for his successor has begun, adding that it “will consider both internal and external candidates”.

“With Pat’s decision to transition to a non-executive career in order to spend more time with his family, we are delighted to be retaining his skills and perspectives within the business, as a member of our board,” said Aristocrat’s chairman, Ian Blackburne, in a statement.

“Pat’s intimate knowledge of Aristocrat’s operating environment, his understanding of digital gaming and his deep expertise in our largest market of North America – including his successful tenure as the CEO of a North American gaming business – will further strengthen the board’s capabilities,” added Mr Blackburne.

Aristocrat said in May that its revenue and profit in the digital segment more than doubled in its fiscal first half ended March 31. It said the better performance was driven by “sustained growth in Heart of Vegas [an online casino], successful mobile launches and marketing”.

“I am proud of the growth we have delivered to date in the digital business, and I am equally excited about our strategy and the potential we have yet to unlock,” said Mr Ramsey in a statement included in Tuesday’s filing.

He added: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to be part of Aristocrat as a board member going forward.”