Tabcorp has recently augmented its executive team with notable appointments, including a new chief legal officer and the inaugural role of chief commercial and media officer.
Narelle McKenzie has been designated as the chief legal officer after a 20-year tenure with Telstra, where she held various legal positions, such as the lead of regulatory legal practice, and most recently as the executive for sustainability, external affairs, and legal.
Simultaneously, Jarrod Villani has been named the chief commercial and media officer, a position newly established for the company. In this role, Villani will aim to improve commercial outcomes and enhance the value of Tabcorp’s assets across domestic and international media platforms like Sky Racing, as well as in retail. He joins Tabcorp from Paramount Australia and New Zealand, where he served as the executive vice-president, chief operating, and commercial officer for nearly three years.
Robert Fraser, previously the chief transformation officer, has been elevated to the chief technology and transformation officer role. Fraser joined Tabcorp in April 2022 as the general manager of transformation and separation and has since led the design and execution of the company’s cost-reduction initiative known as the Genesis Programme introduced earlier this year.
Amid these leadership adjustments, Tabcorp has also introduced the position of chief wagering officer, with an appointment scheduled for 2025. The chief wagering officer will oversee critical functions such as digital, retail, trading, marketing, and product. The recruitment process for this role is reportedly in advanced stages.
Additionally, it was disclosed that chief customer officer Jenni Barnett and chief information officer Alan Sharvin will be departing the company. Barnett assumed her role in May 2022, while Sharvin joined in April 2022. The specific departure dates for both have not been disclosed.
Gillon McLachlan, managing director and CEO elect of Tabcorp, commented on the structural changes, saying: “These adjustments will enhance our wagering capabilities and stimulate growth in both wagering and media sectors. The streamlined model enables a single executive to manage crucial wagering assets within our setup, facilitating exceptional execution. Our executive team is poised to leverage market-leading expertise in wagering and media, responsible for revenue growth and asset management unique to Tabcorp in the Australian wagering landscape.”
Addressing the exits, McLachlan added, “I extend my gratitude to Alan Sharvin and Jenni Barnett for their noteworthy contributions to the company since the demerger in 2022. They have been instrumental in bolstering Tabcorp’s competitiveness. We are swiftly advancing to capitalize on the promising opportunities inherent in our distinctive asset base, and today’s transitions exemplify that momentum. I look forward to updating shareholders on our progress and refined strategy during our half-year results in February.”
In tandem with these changes, Tabcorp also announced the retirement of non-executive director Justin Milne from the board, a position he had held since 2011. Most recently, Milne was the chairman of the technology committee.
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This article first appeared on [EGR Intel](https://www.egr.global/intel/news/tabcorp-revamps-executive-team-with-several-appointments/).