bwin.party co-CEO Jim Ryan to retire

7Dec 2012

bwin

Jim Ryan, co-CEO of bwin.party digital entertainment has announced his retirement. Ryan will step down from his post on 15 January 2013 with Norbert Teufelberger, currently Ryan's co-CEO, assuming the new role of Group CEO.

Ryan joined PartyGaming Plc as CEO in June 2008 and following the merger with bwin Interactive Entertainment AG in March 2011, he became co-CEO of the enlarged bwin.party group. He now intends to return to Canada with his family.

“Being Co-CEO of bwin.party has been my dream job,” said Ryan. “As we approach the final stages of our merger integration I am immensely proud of what we have achieved and know that with Norbert at the helm, the business is in excellent hands and is particularly well-placed for the future. Having given over 11 years of my life to the online gaming industry, I am now looking forward to returning to Canada and enjoying more time with my family.”

Simon Duffy, Non-Executive Chairman at bwin.party said, “The transition to regulated markets is continuing and we are entering a period of intense product and technology innovation that will now be led by Norbert Teufelberger, whose experience, as one of the pioneers in online gaming, is probably unrivalled.

“Together with Norbert, Jim has been a driving force behind the merger. His expertise and passion for the Group’s gaming products have been instrumental in ensuring that the merger integration has proceeded as planned, putting the Group in an excellent position to remain at the forefront of the global online gaming market.”

Teufelberger added, “Jim has been an excellent business partner over the past two and a half years. His experience, drive and vision have proven to be a huge asset for our company and I have had the pleasure of working with him side-by-side, both as a colleague and a good friend. We wish him every success in whatever he decides to do next.”