Succession dominated the news coming out of gaming’s executive suites this week, as a trio of companies laid out plans.
Here are the moves worth knowing in this week’s Hires and Higher-Ups:
- Aristocrat names Dafne Guisard its next CEO
- Bragg moves its COO into top job
- SciPlay finds new leader at Product Madness
Aristocrat names Guisard CEO-elect as Croker plans exit
Aristocrat Leisure CEO and Managing Director Trevor Croker will retire in April 2027, and Dafne Guisard will succeed him, the company announced alongside its full-year results this week.
The board said it took outside advice and weighed internal and external candidates before choosing Guisard. She will move from Aristocrat’s London office to Las Vegas for the role. Croker will stay with the company and support Guisard for a year from the announcement.
Guisard joined Aristocrat in February as chief commercial officer for EMEA, with P&L responsibility across the region, and later took over the global Product Madness social casino business. Before Aristocrat, she ran operations at Entain across more than 30 regulated markets and more than 2,500 employees. She previously served as chief strategy, transformation and digital officer at Kraft Heinz and spent nine years in senior commercial and finance roles at AB InBev.
“The Board considers Dafne the ideal choice to succeed Trevor,” Aristocrat Chairman Neil Chatfield said. “She has an exceptional track record of delivering growth and transformation across multiple complex consumer industries, with global experience, and deep product and technology skills.”
Bragg hands interim CEO role to COO Tonnesen
Bragg Gaming Group appointed Chief Operating Officer Morten Tonnesen interim CEO, effective Nov. 6. Matevž Mazij moved from CEO to strategic advisor, a role the company said “carries no day-to-day management responsibility.”
Mazij founded Oryx Gaming, which Bragg acquired in 2018, and became CEO in August 2023. He sat on the board from February 2021 until July, when Bragg closed its acquisition of Drayton International and named Matt Davey chairman.
Earlier this year, Bragg cut about 12% of its global workforce in a restructuring.
Tonnesen joined Bragg in March with more than 17 years of experience in iGaming, sports betting, and technology. He co-founded and sold BetWarrior, spent six years at PokerStars, served as chief commercial officer at Shape Games before its sale to Kambi, and worked as chief growth officer at Xtremepush.
“The board’s focus for the next phase is on disciplined execution, improving balance sheet strength, operating cash flow, and development and deployment of market-leading technology, content and services,” Davey said. “Morten has the operational experience to deliver against those tests, and the Board has full confidence in him.”
Bragg reports third-quarter results Friday.
SciPlay hires Labbat from Product Madness
A week after Josh Wilson left, Light & Wonder named Matthieu Labbat CEO of its social casino business SciPlay, effective Nov. 4.
Labbat spent more than seven years in leadership roles at Product Madness, with P&L responsibility for a mobile gaming business that generates more than $1bn in annual revenue.
During his time there, Product Madness grew from about 120 employees to more than 600. Light & Wonder credited him with driving bookings growth faster than the category, expanding direct-to-consumer sales and improving margins. Earlier, Labbat held product and business-performance roles at King, where he helped launch its first multiplayer game, and worked as a consultant at Analysys Mason.
“Matthieu has a proven record of building and scaling mobile gaming businesses, paired with exceptional product vision and a talent for developing teams,” Light & Wonder CEO Matt Wilson said. “That combination makes him the ideal leader for SciPlay as we seek to extend the reach of its portfolio of brands.”
