Vodafone exec joins betting exchange management team

In May this year, online gambling group Betfair's top IT man, Rory Devine, handed in his notice , triggering an extensive search for a replacement which ended this week with the announcement that former Vodafone manager Tony McAlister is to replace him.

With his appointment as CTO on January 19th 2009, McAlister takes on one of the most demanding jobs in the Internet gambling technical world, with full management responsibility for Betfair's very advanced technologies and computer equipment. As CTO, McAlister will report to chief executive David Yu and will be responsible for a team of 300 IT engineers around the world.

Betfair said McAlister will be required to enhance the customer experience at the online betting company, to drive technology innovation and ensure the company's rapid profitable growth is "underpinned" by smart technological strategies.

McAlister returns to the UK to take up the role having spent the last three years as CTO for content management vendor Motricity. From 2001 to 2005, he was CTO at Vodafone.

The IT expert said he was looking forward to the Betfair challenge, and said of the appointment, "Betfair has demonstrated its ability to turn technology into a strategic business advantage. I look forward to building on this success."

Rory Devine left Betfair in May having been with the Hammersmith based company for four years, two as CTO. Under his leadership the IT team, which is 25 percent of the workforce, tripled. The move was described as by mutual agreement, with Devine working out his period of notice.

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