NEWS29 April 2014

MRS president Dianne Thompson to retire as Camelot CEO

UK — Camelot Group CEO Dianne Thompson, who became president of the Market Research Society in March, is to retire from the National Lottery operator at the end of October.

At her date of retirement, Thompson will have been with Camelot for 17 years, including 14 years as chief executive.

Thompson had planned to leave the company in 2012, but stayed on at the request of Camelot’s owner, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, in order to devise and implement an international growth strategy.

Following her departure, Camelot Group will be separated into two separate functions. Andy Duncan – MD of the UK business since 2011 – will become CEO of Camelot UK Lotteries, while Nigel Railton – currently group CFO and strategy director – will become CEO of Camelot Global Services. Both will report to Lee Sienna, the chairman of the Camelot Group of Companies.

Thompson was unveiled as MRS president in March. She gave her inaugural speech to the industry later that month at MRS Annual Conference. See below for a video interview.