Sisal forms advisory board to support fourth UK National Lottery Licence bid
Chaired by British business executive Karren Brady, the board will support Sisal with strategic counsel during the licensing process.
Crossbench peer, chair of Social Enterprise UK and chair and founder of Collaborate, Lord Victor Adebowale, will also serve on the new board, alongside former Asda chief executive and non-executive chairman Andy Clarke.
Other members include experienced international operator, Plc and private equity executive Gary Hughes, UK Creative Industries leader MT Rainey, and Conservative Peer and former Minister for Culture Lord Ed Vaizey.
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of our Advisory Board,” Sisal chief executive Francesco Durante said. “Each member brings unrivalled experience across key areas of industry and society that are central to our strategy and will help us to deliver the best possible solution for The National Lottery.
“We’ve invested the time to secure the right team and ensured each of their values align with our vision for the future of the National Lottery. Together with our partners, the advisory board will add valuable insight and strategic counsel as we approach the final stage of the application.”
Advisory board chair Brady added: “As an active supporter of several high-profile charities and businesses that make a positive contribution to society, I am delighted to be working with Sisal on its application for the fourth National Lottery Licence.
“Our Lottery is a treasured institution that generates substantial funds for good causes across the UK. Sisal’s proven track record of managing and growing lotteries in Italy, Turkey and Morocco makes them a strong contender and I look forward to working with them and the rest of the Advisory Board as the application progresses.”
Sisal announced in April it would bid for the licence, partnering with telecommunications giant BT and British children’s charity Barnardo’s to support its application.
Pan-European lottery and gaming giant Sazka Group was the first operator to announce its intention to compete for the licence in October 2020, while Sugal & Damani, India’s largest lottery operator, joined the race later that month.
Incumbent licensee Camelot completed the Selection Questionnaire in October, but has not yet publicly confirmed whether it was bidding for the tender.
In August, Britain’s Gambling Commission pushed the selection of the winner of the tender back until February 2022 and extended Camelot’s licence for six more months to February 2024.