Former Diageo exec Álvaro Garcia has been named as the new chief marketing officer (CMO) of Flutter Brazil.
Garcia’s arrival marks his first steps in the igaming industry, having spent the past 30 years with several companies across Brazil in various marketing roles.
He joined Kellogg’s in February 1997 as a key account manager for marketing and sales, staying for four years before moving to alcoholic beverage company Diageo as its senior brand manager for Smirnoff Ice in September 2001.
Over the next 16 years, Garcia worked his way up through the company, earning several promotions before being appointed CMO in July 2015.
After three years in the position, he moved to beauty product firm Grupo Boticário, spending two-and-a-half years with the firm before leaving to join food and beverage company Mondelēz International in August 2020 as CMO and vice-president of marketing.
In his new role with Flutter Brazil, Garcia will be tasked with leading the marketing team and also helping to generate sustainable growth for the operator.
João Studart, Flutter Brazil CEO, took to LinkedIn to announce the appointment of Garcia and laud his marketing experience.
The CEO wrote: “Álvaro has an admirable trajectory. There are almost three decades of experience leading marketing strategies in companies such as Mondelēz International, Diageo and Grupo Boticário – always with a rare combination of consistency, creativity and long-term vision.
“In 2023, he was recognised among the top 10 CMOs in the country by outlets such as Forbes Brazil – a reflection of the respect he has earned in the market and the relevance of the work he has been building.
“Having Álvaro at the head of our marketing team, leading brands such as Betnacional and Betfair Brazil, is a source of great pride.
“His arrival further strengthens our journey as Flutter Brazil, uniting excellence in branding to our essence: innovation, responsibility, proximity and positive impact.”
Last month, Flutter Brazil completed the acquisition of Brazilian operator NSX Group in a deal worth $350m (£263.3m), obtaining a 56% stake in NSX.
NSX operates the Betnacional brand in Brazil, as well as some other smaller sites.
Brazil’s regulated market launched on 1 January 2025, with a gross gaming revenue tax of 12% and operators paying BRL30m (£4m) for a five-year licence.
However, earlier this month, the country’s Ministry of Finance approved a provisional measure to increase the tax to 18%.
Arnold Ash is EGR’s Executive Recruitment Partner. They support ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.
The post Flutter Brazil adds marketing veteran as CMO first appeared on EGR Intel.
Álvaro Garcia joins operator a month after it finally took a 56% stake in NSX Group, having spent the last three decades in several marketing positions outside of the sector
The post Flutter Brazil adds marketing veteran as CMO first appeared on EGR Intel.