DAZN Appoints Former Betfair CFO Alex Gersh as Finance Chief in Executive Restructure

DAZN has announced the appointment of Alex Gersh, former Betfair chief financial officer, as its new finance chief amid a wider reshuffle of the company’s executive team. Gersh brings deep financial leadership and betting industry experience to DAZN, filling a key role as the group pursues global growth and innovation.

Alex Gersh Takes Over as DAZN Finance Chief

Alex Gersh has stepped into the role of DAZN's chief financial officer, replacing Darren Waterman. Gersh previously served nearly six years as CFO at Betfair—from December 2012 to October 2018—covering the critical period of Betfair’s merger with Paddy Power. Following his time at Betfair, Gersh took on CFO responsibilities at Sportradar and Paysafe Group (from July 2020 to September 2022 and from October 2022 to September 2024, respectively), and more recently at Evelyn Partners, a wealth management firm.

Gersh’s remit at DAZN covers oversight of financial strategy, capital allocation, company performance, and long-term value creation. His appointment adds substantial betting industry expertise to the DAZN leadership team at a time when DAZN is expanding its digital betting operations.

“The stage is set for our strengthened leadership team to intensify our mission to build the world’s best sports entertainment platform for fans, rights holders and partners,” said DAZN CEO Shay Segev.

DAZN C-Suite Overhaul Includes COO and CBO Changes

The appointment of Gersh is part of a broader overhaul of DAZN’s top management. Darren Waterman, outgoing CFO, has transitioned into the newly created chief business officer (CBO) role, where he will lead DAZN’s strategic commercial, partnership, and transformation initiatives. Having served as CFO since 2022, Waterman’s new focus reflects DAZN’s increased emphasis on revenue streams and large-scale business opportunities.

Patrick Delany joins DAZN as chief operating officer (COO) after a nine-year tenure as CEO at Foxtel, a DAZN subsidiary. Prior to Foxtel, Delany was chief executive of Fox Sports Australia. As COO, Delany will be based in London, taking on “end-to-end responsibility for the day-to-day trading performance” as well as overall operational management, pricing, and packaging.

Leadership Changes in DAZN’s DACH Region

Significant leadership changes will also occur in DAZN's DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) region. Alice Mascia, CEO of the DACH markets for the past four years, will leave the company at year-end. Felix Krause, current deputy CEO, will move up to CEO on 1 January. Krause previously held multiple roles at DAZN, including head of strategy and senior vice-president of commercial strategy and business development, during his six years with the company between December 2018 and January 2025.

DAZN Bet Expansion and the Value of Betting Industry Expertise

Gersh’s betting industry background is particularly notable as DAZN’s betting arm, DAZN Bet, pursues new growth opportunities. In July, DAZN Bet entered the prediction markets sector through a partnership with ADI PredictStreet. This agreement, pending regulatory approval, will see DAZN utilise a prediction markets platform operated by Abu Dhabi-based blockchain technology provider ADI Chain and distribute it to DAZN users in regulated markets globally.

The addition of a finance chief with direct operational experience in regulated gaming, payments, and sports data (at Betfair, Sportradar, and Paysafe Group) aligns with DAZN’s ambitions to build out its sports and online betting portfolio while managing compliance in multiple jurisdictions.

CEO’s Vision and Outlook for DAZN

DAZN CEO Shay Segev described these changes as positioning the company for a new chapter of profitable growth. He noted that the DAZN platform is now active in more than 200 markets worldwide, enabling millions of users to access a variety of sports content that extends beyond broadcasting.

DAZN’s C-suite reorganisation highlights a focus on both operational excellence and strategic expansion. The executive appointments indicate an effort to deepen expertise in digital sports entertainment, betting, and international commercial development.

Industry Context and Executive Recruitment

DAZN’s leadership changes are part of a broader trend among streaming and digital sports operators to supplement core broadcasting expertise with senior executives from betting, payments, and data analytics backgrounds. This dynamic is particularly relevant as major players in regulated markets seek to capitalise on overlapping content and betting synergies while meeting compliance requirements set by local regulators.

DAZN’s executive recruitment was supported by Arnold Ash, an established consultancy focused on identifying and attracting industry-leading talent to ambitious organisations. The reshuffle underlines DAZN’s resolve to remain competitive both as a broadcaster and as a diversified sports betting and entertainment platform.