Kenny Alexander (businessman)

Kenneth Jack Alexander (born April 1969) is a British businessman, and was the chief executive (CEO) of GVC Holdings, a gambling company based in the Isle of Man, from 2007 to 2020.

This article is about the British businessman. For the American politician, see Kenny Alexander.
Kenny Alexander
Born
Kenneth Jack Alexander

April 1969 (age 51)
Kilwinning, Ayrshire, Scotland
NationalityBritish
EducationUniversity of Glasgow
OccupationBusinessman
Net worth£23 million (April 2017)[1]
TitleFormer CEO, GVC Holdings
Term2007-2020
SuccessorShay Segev
Spouse(s)Caroline Alexander

Early life

Kenneth Jack Alexander was born in April 1969,[2] in Ayrshire, Scotland.[3][4] He grew up in North Ayrshire, and earned a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Glasgow.[5]

Career

In 1991, he joined the accountants Grant Thornton, where he worked for five years and qualified as a chartered accountant.[5] In 1996, he joined Hazlewood Foods as a financial controller.[5]

In 2000, he joined Sportingbet, having seen the job advertised in the Racing Post, and by 2007 had risen to become head of its European operations.[5][6]

Alexander has been CEO of GVC since 2007, when it was listed on AIM and valued at £26 million.[5]

In February 2016, he concluded the £1.1 billion reverse takeover of GVC's larger competitor Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.[5]

In April 2017, it was speculated that Alexander and GVC were looking to take over the bookmakers William Hill.[1]

In December 2017, it was announced that GVC would take over the bookmakers Ladbrokes Coral for up to £4 billion, with Alexander as CEO, and a likely FTSE 100 index entry.[7]

In July 2020, it was announced that Alexander would retire, to be succeeded as chief executive by Shay Segev, the chief operating officer.[8] The Guardian called a "surprise departure".[9]

Personal life

He is married to Caroline Alexander,[10] and lives with his family in Perth, Scotland, and is based in London during the week.[1]

His hobbies include no-limit cash poker, and when he worked at Sportingbet, considered becoming a professional gambler, about which his wife was "horrified".[1] He owns four racehorses, and bets every day, either on horses or football.[5]

References
  1. "Kenny Alexander: The poker-playing GVC boss on the hunt for deals". Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  2. "Kenneth Jack ALEXANDER - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  3. Dunkley, Daniel (13 September 2015). "I've been betting since I was 13, but Bwin must be my best punt". Retrieved 22 December 2017 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  4. "Betting firms can count on canny Scots". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  5. Martin, Ben (22 December 2017). "The odds are on FTSE 250 place for GVC chief". Retrieved 22 December 2017 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  6. Barber, Bill. "From meat factory to gambling big hitter – the rise of Kenny Alexander - Horse Racing News - Racing Post". Racing Post. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  7. Editorial, Reuters. "British gambling firm GVC seals Ladbrokes takeover". Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  8. Gill, Oliver; Foy, Simon (16 July 2020). "Boss of Ladbrokes owner GVC steps down". The Telegraph. Retrieved 16 July 2020.
  9. Partridge, Joanna (21 July 2020). "HMRC widens investigation into Ladbrokes owner GVC". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  10. "Alliance News Detail - London Stock Exchange". www.londonstockexchange.com. Retrieved 29 July 2018.


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