It looks as though one member of the Sportech hierarchy isn’t too enamored to the company’s love for thoroughbred four-legged animals. It all comes after a fevered period of equine expansion has seen them take over New Jersey-based Scientific Games Racing (SGR), and now their proposed capture of the UK Tote along with the 517 betting shops that go with it.
Chairman Piers Pottinger is the man who has departed the company with immediate effect. The former chair commented: “Now the company has been successfully transformed into a truly international business, I feel it is time for me to move on and allow my successor to head up this exciting business, as it spreads its activities into over thirty countries.
“I have enjoyed my time with Sportech immensely and look forward to following its progress in the future. I know Ian Penrose and his executive team will continue to develop what has now become a world leader in its field.”
In the meantime Sportech have taken the rather unusual step of appointing former Liverpool football star, and ESPN pundit, John Barnes as the interim chairperson. With no experience in the industry, and little success outside the playing side of the game, it’s an odd one. It’s either that or a senior independent non-executive director of the company shares the same name as the former England international. They’re based in Liverpool so who knows!
