Kenny Alexander (businessman)
Kenneth Jack Alexander (born April 1969) is a British businessman, the chief executive (CEO) of GVC Holdings, a gambling company based in the Isle of Man, since 2007.
Kenny Alexander | |
---|---|
Born | Kenneth Jack Alexander April 1969 (age 51) Kilwinning Ayrshire, Scotland |
Nationality | British |
Alma mater | University of Glasgow |
Occupation | Businessman |
Net worth | £23 million (April 2017)[1] |
Title | CEO, GVC Holdings |
Term | 2007- |
Spouse(s) | Caroline Alexander |
Early life
Kenneth Jack Alexander was born in April 1969,[2] in Ayrshire, Scotland.[3][4] He grew up in North Ayrshire, and earned a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Glasgow.[5]
Career
In 1991, he joined the accountants Grant Thornton, where he worked for five years and qualified as a chartered accountant.[5] In 1996, he joined Hazlewood Foods as a financial controller.[5]
In 2000, he joined Sportingbet, having seen the job advertised in the Racing Post, and by 2007 had risen to become head of its European operations.[5][6]
Alexander has been CEO of GVC since 2007, when it was listed on AIM and valued at £26 million.[5]
In February 2016, he concluded the £1.1 billion reverse takeover of GVC's larger competitor Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment.[5]
In April 2017, it was speculated that Alexander and GVC were looking to take over the bookmakers William Hill.[1]
In December 2017, it was announced that GVC would take over the bookmakers Ladbrokes Coral for up to £4 billion, with Alexander as CEO, and a likely FTSE 100 index entry.[7]
Personal life
He is married to Caroline Alexander,[8] and lives with his family in Perth, Scotland, and is based in London during the week.[1]
His hobbies include no-limit cash poker, and when he worked at Sportingbet, considered becoming a professional gambler, about which his wife was "horrified".[1] He owns four racehorses, and bets every day, either on horses or football.[5]
References
- "Kenny Alexander: The poker-playing GVC boss on the hunt for deals". Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- "Kenneth Jack ALEXANDER - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- Dunkley, Daniel (13 September 2015). "I've been betting since I was 13, but Bwin must be my best punt". Retrieved 22 December 2017 – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
- "Betting firms can count on canny Scots". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- Martin, Ben (22 December 2017). "The odds are on FTSE 250 place for GVC chief". Retrieved 22 December 2017 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
- Barber, Bill. "From meat factory to gambling big hitter – the rise of Kenny Alexander - Horse Racing News - Racing Post". www.racingpost.com. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- Editorial, Reuters. "British gambling firm GVC seals Ladbrokes takeover". Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- "Alliance News Detail - London Stock Exchange". www.londonstockexchange.com. Retrieved 29 July 2018.