Allwyn UK announces executive team changes

Revamped leadership structure will include new chief digital officer and chief marketing officer roles, with CTO and managing director of digital departing

Allwyn UK has announced changes to its leadership structure to deliver the next stage of its transformation of The National Lottery.

The new senior team structure is designed to improve the experience for players and retail partners by bringing key commercial, customer and technology capabilities closer together around Allwyn's Retail and Digital channels, while elevating the role of marketing across the business.

A new dedicated director of social impact role will focus on communicating the positive impact of The National Lottery on communities across the United Kingdom, with current chief impact officer Alastair Ruxton taking on this role.

As part of the focus on improving technology and customer experience, Allwyn UK confirmed that its chief technology officer (CTO) and managing director of digital roles will end, as technology capabilities become more directly integrated into Digital, Retail and Security.

This will see current CTO Mark Smith leave the business, but continue as technology strategy adviser until June 2027, providing continuity as the new structure is established.

‍Richard Dawkins, managing director of digital, will leave the business in December after nearly three years, having led the digital business through a significant period of change and driven innovation in the games portfolio.

Responsibility for strategy and the future direction of the business will move to the CEO, and as a result the chief strategy & transformation officer role will also end, with Sarah Venning departing at the end of this month.

Two further new roles will be created to support Allwyn UK's next phase of growth.

A new chief digital officer (CDO) role will bring together responsibility for digital products and channels, customer experience, technology, data and platforms, automation and AI, alongside accountability for the commercial performance of Allwyn's digital channels.

In addition, a new chief marketing officer (CMO) role will bring together brand, marketing, creative, CRM, communications, product marketing, winners' services and customer experience to create a stronger and more consistent connection with players.

Stephen Taylor will join as interim CMO on 17 November, bringing more than 30 years' marketing experience across major consumer brands including PayPal, Samsung, Nokia and Pizza Express. He joins from CMO Thrive, the strategic marketing advisory business he founded.

"The transformation of The National Lottery has involved an enormous amount of work across our business," said Allwyn UK CEO Phil Walker. "Our challenge now is to turn that transformation into stronger growth, a better experience for players and retail partners, and more money for Good Causes. That means putting customers closer to our decisions, giving our Retail and Digital businesses the capabilities they need to compete and innovate, and creating much clearer accountability for performance.

"Good Causes are at the heart of what makes The National Lottery special. We have a real opportunity to help more people understand the extraordinary difference players make through The National Lottery and make that an even stronger reason to play.

"Changes of this scale inevitably affect people who have played important roles in getting us to where we are today. This next stage builds on what they have helped us achieve, and I want to thank them personally for the contribution they and their teams have made to The National Lottery."

The new structure will take effect from 1 December.