The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) has hired HSBC veteran Mark Hedges as its new director of digital platforms.
Hedges joins the club after 22 years with HSBC, having originally joined the bank as a trainee in 2004 before a two-decade-long journey towards the top of the entity.
Following two years serving as a trainee, he spent 2006 to 2015 in various management roles of increasing seniority, and was promoted to head of the retail banking and wealth management (RBWM) transformation programme in 2015.
Hedges then headed Asian RBWM business transformation from 2018 to 2022, before finally becoming managing director and global head of digital platforms four years ago.
Current digital roles at HKJC include head of digital experience and innovation, held by Birgitta Tam, and executive director of information technology, held by Gary Delooze.
The hire comes on the back of record wagering and lottery turnover of HK$331.7bn (£31.3bn) for the 12 months to the end of June, a 3.6% increase year on year. During the club’s earnings report, management emphasised its investment in technology.
The report stated the investment in the new “sports wagering platform” was driven by plans to launch legal basketball betting in Hong Kong, although the government has delayed those plans.
The report also noted the new betting platform would “take time to develop and will have to run in parallel with our existing platform before a full migration can be implemented and the benefits of additional revenue as well as cost savings are fully achieved”.
However, bosses noted the new tech would make the club more “more competitive and agile to fight the illegal market”.
In June, HKJC added a new head of commingling in the shape of UK Tote Group’s chief commercial officer (CCO) Jon Knapman, and last October recruited an ex-Manchester United chief as executive director of sports business.
Hedges wrote on LinkedIn: “I’m pleased to share that I recently joined HKJC as director of digital platforms.
“I was drawn to the club’s genuinely distinctive role: a cornerstone of Hong Kong society, a world-class sports and entertainment organisation, and – through its Charities Trust – one of the world’s leading charitable donors.
“It is a unique opportunity to help shape digital experiences at the intersection of sport, entertainment and technology, while contributing to an organisation whose success creates meaningful value for the wider Hong Kong community.
“I’m excited for the journey ahead and to work with colleagues across the club to build what’s next.”
Last year the HKJC announced its plan to become a “globally recognised sports entertainment brand” via a partnership with B2B provider XIX Entertainment.
A new chief transformation officer was appointed three months later to spearhead the initiative, which the operator said would enable it to appeal to younger generations, alongside audiences in mainland China and worldwide.
Arnold Ash is EGR’s executive recruitment partner. It supports ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.
The post HKJC hires banking veteran as digital platforms director first appeared on EGR Intel.
Former HSBC global head of digital platforms Mark Hedges joins club after 22 years at the bank, with the move coming as the operator ramps up its tech investment following record wagering and lottery turnover
The post HKJC hires banking veteran as digital platforms director first appeared on EGR Intel.