Evoke Parts Ways with Chair Mendelsohn, Appoints New Board Members

Evoke, the gaming company behind leading brands, such as Mr Green, William Hill and 888, has unveiled major changes to its board, including the departure of its board chair, Lord Jon Mendelsohn. In the meantime, the company welcomed Mark Summerfield as its new permanent non-executive chair and Anne de Kerckhove as its permanent deputy chair.

Evoke Unveils Board Changes

In its official announcement, evoke confirmed that Mendelsohn has decided to step down as chair and non-executive director. His immediate departure ends over five years of service to the company.

For context, Mendelsohn joined evoke’s board in September 2020 and was appointed interim executive chair in 2023. After that, the man became the company chair and helped it to continue its growth journey.

Evoke’s board of directors thanked Mendelsohn for his contributions. In the meantime, it announced the addition of Mark Summerfield and Anne de Kerckhove as permanent non-executive chair and permanent deputy chair, respectively.

Both appointees are long-time evoke members. Summerfield, for example, joined evoke in September 2019, initially serving as a NED and later as the chair of the Audit & Risk Committee and the Gaming Compliance Committee. He is also a member of the ESG Committee. Summerfield will step down as chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, with Limot Ganot having been appointed as his temporary successor.

De Kerckhove, on the other hand, joined evoke’s board in November 2017. In addition to her new responsibilities, she will continue to serve as senior independent director and will continue to chair the Nominations Committee and the ESG Committee. De Kerckhove will also retain her Remuneration Committee seat.

Mendelsohn Believes It’s the Right Time to Step Down

Lord Jon Mendelsohn commented on his departure and said that it had been a privilege to serve evoke. He said that he enjoyed guiding the company through its acquisition of William Hill and developing its long-term growth strategy. With that in mind, he believed that it was the perfect moment to step down and hand over to Summerfield.

I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved at the Company over the past five years and would like to thank my fellow Board members, the executive team, and the wider organisation for their utmost and unwavering commitment.

Lord Jon Mendelsohn, outgoing chair, evoke

Summerfield responded that working with Mendelsohn has been one of the highlights of his career and admitted that he will miss the outgoing chair’s dedication and insight. The newly-appointed chair added that he is looking forward to working with De Kerckhove and other board members on continuing evoke’s growth.

Per Widerström, evoke’s chief executive officer, also weighed in on the matter, thanking Mendelsohn for his incredible contributions and expressing confidence in Summerfield and De Kerckhove’s expertise as his successors.