Entain appoints Stella David as permanent CEO
Entain has announced the appointment of Stella David as its new permanent chief executive with immediate effect.
As detailed in a statement from Entain, David will replace Gavin Isaacs, who stepped down as CEO in February. David had been serving as interim CEO since Isaacs’ departure.
Incidentally, this was her second spell as interim. David also help the top job on a temporary basis when Jette Nygaard-Andersen exited in late 2023. This will, however, be the first time she will hold the role full-time.
David was also previously chairman of the group, taking on the role in April 2024. However, she relinquished these responsibilities when becoming interim CEO following Isaacs’ exit earlier this year. She was appointed a non-executive director at Entain in March 2021.
“Entain has a clear strategy and we are making great strides in strengthening our operational capabilities,” David said. “Having taken the time to reflect, I am hugely excited to be leading the business going forward as Entain CEO as we accelerate our journey of improvement.
“Entain is a great business with significant potential. I am confident in its ability to deliver further success in the future.”
David: an accomplished business leader
Pierre Bouchut, who took on chairman duties on an interim basis when David stepped up as temporary CEO in February, welcomed the appointment. He said David is “highly regarded” by Entain shareholders.
“The board is delighted to have appointed Stella as CEO,” Bouchut said. “She is an accomplished and commercial business leader with a long track record of success across multiple industries. Stella has played a pivotal role in shaping, implementing and executing the ongoing delivery of Entain’s strategy to drive value for our shareholders.
“She is highly regarded by our stakeholders. Her appointment provides consistency and stability as the business pursues its many growth opportunities.”
In addition to her role at Entain, David has been serving as chair of Norwegian Cruise Lines. She had been a non-executive director since January.
Her other positions have included CEO of WM Grant & Sons and both senior vice president and chief marketing officer, and regional president, at Bacardi. In addition, she is currently a non-executive director at Bacardi.
David’s previous non-executive director roles include at Nationwide Building Society, New Look Retail Group, HomeServe UK and Domino’s. She also had one-year spell as chair of Vue International.
The appointment comes as Entain also published a trading update for Q1. Highlights include a 9% increase in net gaming revenue following strong online performances across online and the BetMGM joint venture.