Australian Gambling – The two men leading William Hill’s base of operations in Australia are set to part ways with the UK gambling giant. William Hill Australian chief executive Michael Sullivan and chief operating officer Anthony Waller have reportedly been in discussions with the company in what is being described as a ‘management re-shuffle’.
The Age reported a number of meetings had taken place on the future leadership structure of the company in Australia, but neither the company nor the Sullivan and Waller would comment. Whether the decision is mutual between the parties, or William Hill is attempting to move their most senior Australian men on is still unknown.
William Hill owns Sportingbet and Centrebet, as well as Tom Waterhouse.com. Sullivan became the chief executive of the company’s Australian operations when the UK giant purchased Sportingbet and Centrebet in 2012 for the tidy sum of $660 million. Before joining William Hill, Sullivan ran Sportingbet’s Australian operations since it set up shop in the Northern Territory in 2002.
It’s understood that Sullivan is doing everything he can to hang on to his position and see his job out. Leaving William Hill will likely end his chance of an estimated $25 million bonus, agreed to in 2012 at the time of William Hill’s takeover. Sullivan is one of four directors in line to receive the bonus in 2018 if the company reached performance goals. Should Sullivan and Waller been shown the door, they won’t be alone in the William Hill cull.
William Hill’s global chief executive Ralph Topping is also coming to an end. Last month Topping confirmed that the company had begun to search for a new chief executive. Topping plans to lead the company until the end of 2015, before passing on his role under a succession plan.
