Online tombola operator appoints new COO

The Sunderland-based online gambling group tombola has appointed a former Sage software executive to the new position of chief operating officer.

James Beard (41) was at Sage for more than 12 years, and left recently as business development director for Europe, Asia and Africa.

He joins a new management team at tombola, with four new heads of department appointed over the summer.

Phil Cronin, CEO at tombola said in a statement that over the past two years the company has achieved its ambitious plans to double turnover and headcount.

“So far, we have exceeded targets set in our 2020 strategy and I’ve no doubt that James’s knowledge, drive and experience will help us deliver our strategy for accelerated growth,” he said. “James understands the ethos, values and culture of tombola – we want tombola to be a growing Sunderland business which continues to recruit from within the city and wider north east.”

Beard studied economics and management at Leeds University before working as a senior analyst at Goldman Sachs for nearly five years. He joined Sage as group business development analyst in 2005 before joining the company’s Sage Pay Division, where he worked in several managerial roles.

Discussing his move to tombola, Beard said:

“I was ready to move on, but wanted to stay in the north east and the tech sector. Sage Pay was an entrepreneurial business within the Sage Group and I learned a great deal there. I’m now looking forward to leveraging that experience and knowledge to help drive tombola forward.”

He identified both the UK and international online gaming markets as potential areas for expansion.

The company currently employs nearly 400 staff in total, of which 70 are employed in Italy, Spain and Gibraltar. It boasts one of the region’s largest tech teams, which create games for its popular and successful website and apps, as well as tombola Arcade.

The company’s new GBP 7 million, 25,000 sq ft HQ will offer a futuristic environment to employees, and is due to open by next summer.