BoyleSports Headhunts Mark Kemp to Become its CEO

Mark Kemp, managing director of the Tote UK, has been appointed chief executive officer of the country’s second-largest bookmaker, BoyleSports.

Mark Kemp to Assume the Role as CEO in August

This weekend, BoyleSports announced that the betting group has selected Mark Kemp as its new chief executive officer. The appointment will be effective as of August when Kemp will replace Conor Gray. The Irish bookie said that Gray will assume the role of commercial development executive in charge of the group’s expansion to Ireland, Britain, and afield.

Kemp’s Previous Projects and Background

Kemp has served as managing director of the British racecourses pool betting system, the UK Tote, since 2019. During his nearly two years at UK Tote, he has worked on the company’s local and international growth. In April last year, under his supervision the group inked a seven-year strategic deal with Tote Ireland. Under the terms of the alliance, both companies will aim to expand their services for customers and partners. In December, UK Tote made public its plans to enter new sports beyond horse racing.

Under his guidance, UK Tote also launched a new digital platform, tote.co.uk. With the new ‘Tote Guarantee’ feature, the platform makes sure that it will match the industry starting price (SP). Kemp also led the development of a technology system and the rebranding of the business. In October 2020, the group entered into a multi-year agreement with Sportech’s Quantum System for the delivery of pool betting technologies and services.

Prior to joining UK Tote, Kemp held the position of managing director at Ladbrokes Coral. The company was created after the merger between Ladbrokes and Coral, two of the UK’s biggest gambling brands, in a £2.3 billion ($2.81 billion) deal in 2016. Kemp was originally gaming director with Coral, working on the expansion of the business, which was subsequently acquired by the group’s current owner, London-listed GVC.

“There are few people within the industry with Mark’s digital leadership expertise, which is a critical channel of growth for BoyleSports.”

John Boyle, the bookie’s founder and chairman.

Boyle expressed his gratitude towards Gray for his five-year path as chief executive at BoyleSports, during which he increased the operator’s network with 150 betting shops and doubled the size of its digital business. Kemp said his new role will give him an opportunity to build on an already successful business that has its own technology and experienced professionals.

Before the pandemic, BoyleSports took advantage of the government’s £2 limits on betting terminals and started buying out the discontinued sites of competitors in the Midlands and the North of England.