Playtech, a leading technology services provider to the financial trading and gambling industries with 5,000 staff across 13 countries including its operated brokerage subsidiaries and businesses, has announced that Francesco Rodano has joined the company’s executive management team as Chief Policy Officer, according to an official company statement.
Mr. Rodano previously led online gaming Regulation for the Italian Gambling Regulatory Authority, AAMS (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli), and in 2008 won IMGL’s Regulator of the Year award during his nearly 9-year tenure regulating the country's substantial gaming industry.
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Thanks to his professional achievements and his personal stature, Francesco has become a highly influential figure in the international online gambling arena.
New Chief Policy Officer
Commenting in a corporate statement regarding the new appointment, Mor Weizer, CEO of Playtech, said: “Thanks to his professional achievements and his personal stature, Francesco has become a highly influential figure in the international online gambling arena. We’re delighted he has chosen to join Playtech and I’m sure he will provide an invaluable contribution to the further growth of the company.”
Francesco Rodano
Source: LinkedIn
As part of his new role that will be based in London, Mr. Rodano will report to Playtech’s CEO, and will advise the company's executives on governmental policies while engaging with policy-makers at the local, state and national and EU Level.
Mr. Rodano served as Head of Remote Gaming while at AAMS, building related regulatory and compliance expertise for remote gaming which is done online, among other skills developed during that role.
Ex-Regulator of the Year
Mr. Rodano has been a member of the European Commission’s Group on Gambling Services since 2012, and during his work as a regulator with AAMS in Italy he helped to enact reforms across the country’s regulatory framework helping to attract over 100 licensees to its local markets.
His related regulatory reform work included poker in 2008 and casino games in 2011, and he was responsible for a range of regulated gaming segments including sports and horse betting, skill games, bingo and lotteries, according to a LinkedIn profile description
In addition, the announcement described that during Mr. Rodano work as a regulator, Italian gross gambling revenues had grown to over €800 million, helping to set an example as a successful case study for other regulators looking at regulating gaming markets.
After many years spent as a regulator, I’m excited to move to the industry side and to join Playtech at a time when focus on regulated markets is a global priority.
From regulator to private sector
Mr. Rodano will help develop new relationships for the company while supporting existing connections with institutional organisations and stakeholders on a global level, except for in Italy (apparently to avoid any potential conflict of interest from his prior work in the country).
Mr. Rodano commented in a statement regarding his new position at Playtech: “After many years spent as a regulator, I’m excited to move to the industry side and to join Playtech at a time when focus on regulated markets is a global priority. Playtech has a talented and respected management team and I am really looking forward to supporting them on public policy matters.”
