'Bet With Ascot' launches today and Ascot Racecourse is pleased to announce that Nigel Payne, the former Chief Executive of Sportingbet plc, has been appointed to the company board of Ascot Racecourse Betting & Gaming Limited (ARBGL) as a Non-Executive Director.
Nigel brings over 30 years' experience at Board level in FTSE, AIM and private businesses to Ascot's new betting business.
In addition to his role as the Chief Executive of Sportingbet UK plc and subsequently as a Non-Executive Director of that company, acting as Audit Committee Chair, during the period 2006 to 2011, Nigel has worked extensively in Chairman and Chief Executive roles for a range of public and private multinational companies, across sectors as varied as gambling, advertising, aviation, IT, manufacturing and retail.
Since 2006, Nigel has been the owner and proprietor of Merlin Financial Advisers L.L.P, a vehicle through which he acts as Non-Executive Director / Chairman to various businesses and carries out M&A transactions and other services for a number of governments, institutions and corporates / PE houses.
Guy Henderson, Chief Executive Officer, Ascot Racecourse, and Chairman, ARBGL, said:
"We are delighted that Nigel has agreed to join our board and much look forward to working with him. His enormous experience both in the betting industry and wider sectors at FTSE100, 250 and AIM level will add enormous value."
Nigel Payne added: "I could not be more delighted to join the Board of Ascot Racecourse Betting & Gaming Limited at this very exciting time for the industry. I look forward very much to helping ARBGL set an industry leading standard of excellence for all stakeholders with its new "Bet With Ascot" initiative."
Since Royal Ascot, the pool betting outlets at the racecourse have been rebranded to "Bet With Ascot", the customer facing interface of ARBGL.
Alastair Warwick, Chief Operating Officer, Ascot Racecourse, and Managing Director, ARBGL, said:
"We are looking forward to welcoming visitors to Ascot today for the launch of Bet With Ascot, in partnership with Totepool.
"As part of the breakdown process that always follows Royal Ascot, we have rebranded some 75 permanent units and purchased nearly 50 more from Totepool, for future use.
"We have two new signature units outside the Grandstand, facing the Parade Ring, and have upgraded 80 televisions across the pool betting positions, to include 55-inch screens across the concourse.
"Bet With Ascot will begin with a staff of 120 today, all wearing the new uniforms unveiled in May, alongside the range of bets we are offering."
Also in situ, as part of Ascot's wider CSR programme, will be charity bins for customers to place losing Bet With Ascot betting slips.
The number of slips in each charity bin - to be rotated but beginning with Racing Welfare and Ascot's Local Community Projects - will be counted at the end of the flat season with the winning charity awarded £1,000.
Customers are asked to write their phone number (which will not be entered into any databases) on the back of their slips to be in with a chance of winning a fine dining package plus £100 in Bet With Ascot vouchers.
"As well as regularly running Gamble Aware advertisements on Ascot TV, and very much promoting pool betting on course as a flutter and part of the day. This initiative ties our new betting operation into our wider CSR activities, which are promoted together within our 'Ascot Supports' programme," Warwick added.
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