Word broke across the online poker world over the weekend that Andrew Twaits had been named the new Chief Executive Officer of Betfair Australia. The vacancy at the top position in Betfair Australia was caused when Anthony Klok departed for Crown (which owns one-half of Betfair), where he will serve as the company’s International Business Development Director. A press release distributed by Betfair confirmed the rumors that a new CEO had taken control. Klok will remain as a member of Betfair Australia’s Board of Directors.
Edward Wray, the founder of Betfair, commented that Klok came to Betfair “in 2006 to guide the initial stages of Betfair’s establishment in the Australian wagering landscape. He will leave his position as CEO with the knowledge that Betfair is well-placed to achieve its objectives in the Australian market. While we’ll be sad to see him go, we’re delighted that he will retain a role in the business by staying on the company’s Board.”
Twaits’s previous role at Betfair was the Director of Corporate and Business Affairs in Australia. He’s served in that position for the last three years. Wray commented about what this promotion means for the company: “Andrew has been crucial to the company’s growth in Australia over the last four years and is the natural successor. He has worked alongside Anthony for the last two years and was the obvious choice to guide Betfair through the next stage of its development.
Twaits was the very first local employee of Betfair and was hired back in 2005. He had worked at Cricket Australia for five years, overseeing its legal and business arms. He practiced law prior to that and holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws from Bond University in Queensland, Australia. His post-graduate education includes a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Business Administration from the Melbourne Business School. His knowledge of sports and industry law will be valuable as Betfair Australia navigates the sometimes murky legal waters of the internet gambling industry.
I much prefer inrfomative articles like this to that high brow literature.