Nigel Birrell is a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of the Company and works with the Executive Directors on deal origination and overall strategy. He has extensive public company experience and expertise in the gaming, media, banking and insurance sectors.
Mr. Birrell has been the group CEO of Lottoland since 2014. Lottoland is a Gibraltar based, multi territory regulated, fast growing gaming group with turnover in only its 6th year of approximately €400m, a workforce of 350 people in 11 countries and 10 million registered customers in its 13 markets. Prior to Lottoland Mr. Birrell was Group Director on the Executive Board at bwin.party digital entertainment plc (now GVC) the then world’s leading on-line gaming business, where he was responsible for all its mergers and acquisitions, business development and managing its investment portfolio. From 2005-2013 he led all bwin.party’s acquisitions, including their integration, its disposals around the world and was instrumental in devising, negotiating and transacting the £3bn plus merger between PartyGaming and Bwin, the then largest on-line gaming deal in history. Prior to bwin.party, Mr Birrell was a main board director of the FTSE 250 media group HIT Entertainment PLC, leading its US$1.1bn disposal in 2005. At HIT, as well as M&A, where Mr. Birrell led the acquisition of such well-known children’s TV characters as Barney the Dinosaur, Thomas the Tank Engine, Guinness World Records, Art Attack, Sooty, Fireman Sam and Pingu, he was also responsible for investor relations, analyst and public relations and was the Board Director responsible for Guinness World Records and Fun Radio, of which he was also its first Chairman. He also served as CEO of Gullane plc during its integration with HIT. Prior to HIT, Mr. Birrell worked as an investment banker with both Dresdner Kleinwort Benson and later Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (now Credit Suisse). Mr. Birrell is also currently Non-Executive Chairman of Southern Rock Insurance Company Limited as well as chairing both its audit and remuneration committee and its risk compliance and investment committee.
Mr. Birrell holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of London (Queen Mary College) and is a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales.