Stella David Named Permanent CEO of Entain After Interim Tenure

Ladbrokes owner Entain has named Stella David as its permanent Chief Executive Officer. The appointment was announced on 29 April, sending the British bookmaker’s shares up by over 6.6%.

David has been the company’s interim CEO since February 2025, when her predecessor, Gavin Issacs, resigned. Issacs led the company for only five months before leaving the position. Issacs’ sudden resignation mirrored that of his predecessor, Jette Nygaard-Andersen, who left the post in December 2023.

Executive Experience Across Global Brands

A document announcing Stella David’s permanent appointment as CEO notes that she joined the Board of Entain in March 2021. Prior to this, she acted as the CEO of William Grant & Sons and Chair of C&J Clark Ltd. and held more than 15 years in senior positions with Bacardi Ltd. and Non-Executive roles at Homeserve Plc, Nationwide Building Society, Domino’s Pizza Group, and Vue International.

David commented on her permanent appointment: “Entain has a clear strategy and we are making great strides in strengthening our operational capabilities. Having taken the time to reflect, I am hugely excited to be leading the business going forward as Entain’s CEO as we accelerate our journey of improvement. Entain is a great business with significant potential and I am confident in its ability to deliver further success in the future.”

Pierre Bouchut, Interim Chair of Entain, added that the Board is delighted to have appointed David as CEO, highlighting her as an accomplished and commercial business leader with a long track record of success in multiple industries.

He added that David has already played a pivotal role in shaping, implementing, and executing Entain’s ongoing strategy to increase shareholder value. Stakeholders hold her in high regard, and her appointment provides “consistency and stability as the business pursues its many growth opportunities,” Bouchut concluded.

David to Steer Entain Through Economic Uncertainty

David’s leadership will also be crucial for Entain’s continued US expansion, amidst prior uncertainty around its BetMGM joint venture. Simultaneously, the company continues to focus on growth in the UK and Ireland and in key international markets like Brazil.

In a Reuters interview, David emphasized that the company had not seen a correlation between economic uncertainty and consumer betting and gaming behavior. 

“What people tend to do in periods of uncertainty is that they probably go back to their nest… They may not be going to the big game and spending the money, but they want to be involved,” she explained.

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 Ladbrokes owner Entain has named Stella David as its permanent Chief Executive Officer. The appointment was announced on 29 April, sending the British bookmaker’s shares up by over 6.6%. David has been the company’s interim CEO since February 2025, when her predecessor, Gavin Issacs, resigned. Issacs led the company for only five months before leaving
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