Brigid Simmonds, the trailblazing head of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), will leave her position on April 20, 2024.
Simmonds has played a vital role in guiding the BGC since its establishment in 2019. Her remarkable career encompasses a ten-year period as the chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association and a prominent position at Business in Sport and Leisure (BISL).
To guarantee a seamless handover, the BGC Executive Committee has selected Michael Dugher, the present CEO, to take over from Simmonds as Chair commencing April 21, 2024. The quest for a new CEO will begin promptly, with an outside recruitment agency hired to locate a fitting applicant.
Dugher commended Simmonds’ many achievements, remarking, “Brigid’s impact is substantial. She not only constructed the BGC from scratch but also brought together a varied sector. Her steadfast dedication to elevating gambling safety benchmarks has produced significant progress.” He further praised her as a leader of high moral fiber, broadly esteemed across the political landscape and within the industry.
Gazing towards the future, I am certain that with our incoming leader, who will assume their position by springtime, we will maintain our momentum in fostering positive transformations within industry benchmarks. We will remain a strong advocate for our vast workforce, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, and guarantee a secure and pleasurable experience for the millions who partake in wagering activities.
Being a part of the BGC since its establishment in 2019, representing the 110,000 individuals employed within the regulated betting and gaming sector, has been an honor. I extend my gratitude to the Executive Committee, my fellow colleagues, our members, charitable organizations, and other involved parties for their unwavering support. The accomplishments of the BGC fill me with immense pride. Through close collaboration with our members, we have notably elevated standards. By engaging constructively with government entities, we have contributed to shaping balanced, appropriate, and impactful reforms, as evidenced in the recently released Gambling White Paper.
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