Evans replaces Tony Khatskevich, who is moving to an advisory role, working closely with the Allwyn board and CEO Robert Chvátal. An executive with a wealth of experience, Evans takes on his new position at Allwyn following a five-year tenure as the group CTO at Bally’s. Prior to his time at Bally’s, he served in the same capacity at Gamesys, a company that was subsequently acquired by Bally’s in October 2021.
The new CTO brings a robust portfolio, having held similar key positions at tech giants such as Alibaba/Lazada Group and PropertyGuru Singapore earlier in his career. Notably, Evans also contributed his expertise as the head of development for the platform at Betfair, further solidifying his reputation in the industry.
Expressing his enthusiasm about the new role, Evans stated, “I’m delighted to have been appointed as group CTO of Allwyn. The company’s commitment to social impact is evident across its global footprint. I look forward to helping the team to develop even better lotteries and new game formats through the power of cutting-edge technology and future thinking.”
Robert Chvátal, the CEO of Allwyn, also extended a warm welcome to Evans, acknowledging his impressive track record of implementing technology solutions across the gaming and IT sectors. “He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness, and strong experience in our markets,” Chvátal remarked.
In addition to announcing Evans’s appointment, Chvátal took the opportunity to express gratitude to Khatskevich, who had been a pivotal player at Allwyn since joining the company from Playtech in September 2018. “Tony played an essential role in building a robust technology function for Allwyn,” Chvátal noted. “He conceived and led technology initiatives that have driven innovation across the group. I’m very pleased that we will continue to benefit from Tony’s wisdom, knowledge, ideas, and warm personality in his new advisory role. He will continue to help us fulfill our business growth and ambitions.”
This significant leadership change at Allwyn coincides with the company’s optimistic financial projections for the first quarter. This week, Allwyn revealed that it expects to report Q1 revenue exceeding €2.
.00bn (£1.70bn/$2.17bn) as it prepares to publish its first set of quarterly results since becoming the UK’s National Lottery licensee.
Allwyn disclosed that gross gaming revenue for the period ending 31 March 2024 could reach as high as €2.05bn. Even the lower forecast of €2bn is nearly $500m more than the figures reported for the same quarter in 2023.
This strong financial outlook can be largely attributed to Allwyn’s strategic acquisition of Camelot, the previous operator of the UK National Lottery, in March 2023. The acquisition officially took effect when Allwyn became the UK National Lottery licensee on 1 February 2024. As a result of these strategic moves and innovative growth, Allwyn reported an impressive 97.5% surge in revenue for 2023, bringing the total to €7.87bn.
The transition period from Khatskevich to Evans is expected to be smooth, especially given both executives’ knowledge and experience. Allwyn’s goal of refining and expanding its lottery and gaming options through technological advancements fits well within Evans’s expertise and vision. The company aims to leverage cutting-edge technology to not only enhance current offerings but also to introduce new formats that can better engage and retain an increasingly tech-savvy customer base.
In conclusion, the appointment of Evans marks a new chapter in Allwyn’s journey towards integrating more advanced technology into its operations. With a robust background in technology and innovation, Evans is poised to lead Allwyn into a future of greater social impact, enhanced player experiences, and sustained financial growth. The continuity provided by Khatskevich’s advisory role ensures that Allwyn will benefit from a blend of fresh perspective and established wisdom, setting the stage for future successes in a competitive and dynamic market landscape.
