News Round Up Mecca Bingo announces new marketing director Mecca Bingo has appointed former Sainsbury’s executive Anna Shirley to the role of Marketing Director and is due to take up her position in early August. Shirley has held a number of senior marketing positions with Sainsbury’s over the last 13 years, including Head of National Advertising, Head of Own Brand Marketing, Head of Local Marketing and most recently Head of Customer Experience.
Ladbrokes in merger talks with Gala Coral No price has been disclosed. Ladbrokes said it could launch a share placing to raise cash from investors to strengthen its balance sheet if a deal is reached. “My plans are well advanced and I look forward to presenting them to shareholders,” Ladbrokes boss Jim Mullen said. “A merger with Gala Coral could create a combined business with significant scale and has the potential to generate substantial cost synergies, creating value for both companies’ shareholders.” If the merger is sucessful the combined company would have a chain of more than 4,000 betting offices putting it well ahead of William Hill which has over 2,400 shops – and create the UK’s largest betting company, but this could prompt scrutiny from the competition regulators. Gala Coral’s Gala Bingo is not part of the deal.
4
issue 018