Broadway Gaming COO Mark Cleary is set to become the bingo-focused operator’s new CEO as part of a planned leadership transition, EGR can exclusively reveal.
Cleary will take over the day-to-day operations of the business, with current CEO David Butler stepping up to become executive chair.
Butler will remain involved in the business, focusing on long-term strategic planning and identifying M&A opportunities.
Butler has served as CEO of the business since founding the company in 2010, while Cleary joined in 2018 as COO.
Broadway Gaming operates several bingo and online casino sites and acquired the Dragonfish B2C and B2B assets from 888 in 2022 in a $50m deal.
EGR understands the operator is in active discussions with potential acquisition targets.
As part of the transition, the COO responsibilities will be split across various director-level roles, with that process already underway.
Speaking to EGR ahead of the shift, Cleary said the business had reached a “stage of strength and maturity where the leadership transition felt natural”.
He said: “It’s the right time to build on the strong foundations we have and accelerate us into the next phase of growth.
“In the past few years, we’ve successfully integrated Dragonfish, completed a number of smaller acquisitions and we’ve built a very strong team. So, the transition is about continuity and momentum.
“I want to thank David for the trust that he’s placed in me. I’ve worked alongside him now for the past eight years, I’ve seen firsthand his vision, his passion and his commitment to Broadway Gaming and it’s an honour to have earned his confidence to carry that vision forward.”
Cleary described Broadway Gaming as the UK’s “largest independent online bingo operator”, while adding the Dragonfish deal had been “transformational”.
He continued: “It’s given us scale, talent and an improved platform to expand our bingo and slots offering. What I’m most proud of is how smoothly we brought the teams together, and we’re definitely stronger because of it, and it’s offered us a springboard for the next chapter of our growth.
“Integrations are always complicated. There’s always some ups and downs, but we navigated them really well, and we’re in a really good place.”
Touching on the move, Butler added: “Mark and I carefully considered this decision, and the transition has been in planning since the end of last year.
“Mark has been instrumental in driving our growth, operational excellence and team culture over many years and his leadership, integrity and commitment to our mission make him the ideal person to lead Broadway Gaming into our next chapter.
“As executive chair, I’ll remain actively involved in defining the long-term vision and culture of the Broadway Group, focusing on M&A opportunities, strategic partnerships and innovation efforts. I’m not stepping away – I’m stepping up to focus on where we go next, while empowering Mark to take the reins of day-to-day leadership.”
The post Exclusive: Broadway Gaming COO to become CEO in planned leadership shift first appeared on EGR Intel.
Mark Cleary to step up after eight years with the bingo business, while founder David Butler to transition to executive chair position with a focus on long-term strategy
The post Exclusive: Broadway Gaming COO to become CEO in planned leadership shift first appeared on EGR Intel.