Sky Bet boss Ian Proctor says firm will keep growing and creating jobs in Leeds

Sky Betting & Gaming is on the verge of becoming a key part of the biggest online bookmaker in the world. Mark Casci spoke to CEO Ian Proctor on what it means for Yorkshire.

Listen in to any conversations about business success stories in Yorkshire over the last five years and it will only be a few moments before Sky Betting & Gaming comes up.

The firm has enjoyed exponential growth in recent years and its contribution to the Leeds city region economy stands at more than £150m.

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However for chief executive Ian Proctor, the firm which has served for 2008 is more than an emerging corporate titan, it is a combination of the things that rate highly in his value system.

Ian Proctor - Sky Bet CEO. Photo - Simon Hulme.Ian Proctor - Sky Bet CEO. Photo - Simon Hulme.
Ian Proctor - Sky Bet CEO. Photo - Simon Hulme.

“My background is finance,” he tells The Yorkshire Post.

“The combination here for me was very powerful.

“I had finance, betting - which I love - and football. What else do you want? It’s a really good combination. Its very mentally stimulating work.”

It is work that requires many hands. Today some 1,500 people work for Sky Bet in Yorkshire and its success has seen it become the target of two multibillion takeover bids in as many years.

Online sports gambling is becoming increasingly popular.Online sports gambling is becoming increasingly popular.
Online sports gambling is becoming increasingly popular.

In 2018 Sky Bet was acquired by Canada-based Stars Group for £3.4bn and last year Paddy Power and Betfair owner Flutter Entertainment revealed it is to merge with Stars to create a firm with combined annual revenues of £3.8bn.

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One could be forgiven for suspecting a business of that magnitude would see its Leeds operations swallowed up into a far larger commercial entity but Mr Proctor has an opposing view - one which will hearten those with an interest in the fortunes of the Yorkshire economy.

“When Stars bought us there was perhaps some nervousness that things were going to change.

Ian ProctorIan Proctor
Ian Proctor

“In fact the opposite has happened. We have started hiring at a great pace. We have people working here that are not just working on the UK business, they are working on a group-wide basis.

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“I see that similar direction of travel as part of an even bigger group. This centre and the skills base we have built here has proven to be very effective for us. When you have done something well it becomes a much easier choice to decide where these assets are located. I think it will be extremely positive for us.”

Statement of intent

Sky Bet is in the process of relocating its various Leeds offices into one 135,000 sq ft office space in the city. In recent weeks it has taken on a extra 70 plus roles.

The merger with Paddy Power's owners will be huge.The merger with Paddy Power's owners will be huge.
The merger with Paddy Power's owners will be huge.

All of this in Mr Proctor’s opinion is proof that the firm is 100 per cent focused on Yorkshire.

“We’re not going anywhere,” he said.

“I expect we will continue to grow at a reasonable pace. I doubt we will grow at the same pace we did five years ago. But we will be incrementing and adding more jobs.”

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As well as the UK, Europe, Australia and Canada, both Stars and Flutter have interests in the USA where online gambling is developing an ever-increasing foothold as more and more states make the process legal.

It is here that Mr Proctor sees the biggest opportunity.

“The US is the interesting play,” he said.

Sky Bet Championship gameSky Bet Championship game
Sky Bet Championship game

Long-term plan

Mr Proctor originally worked for the BSkyB corporation in finance. He moved to Sky Bet full time in 2008 and served for much of the time between then and now as the firm’s finance director.

When long-standing chief executive Richard Flint stepped down last May, Mr Proctor took hold of the ship’s wheel as the new boss.

The rate of success may have been impressive but online gambling is still a relatively new industry and has been in a constant state of flux in recent years. It is this rapidly evolving landscape where the Scot’s attentions lie.

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“What I want to get out of this year is a plan that is going to address the vastly and quickly changing external environment we find ourselves in so we have a business model that is going to work in five years time,” he said.

“It’s all about having something that will be fit for purpose in a world that is going to be different from today. Apologies for the cliché but it is true.”

Controversy

The sector itself is often the target for brickbats who accuse the industry of promoting gambling too far.

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However the fine came about from a problem which Sky Bet’s management had identified and pro actively reported themselves to the commission.

For Mr Proctor the biggest challenge comes on managing such a rapidly expanding market.

“The change in the last two years has been seismic,” he said.

“The market was growing at 20-25 per cent a year. Estimates are now flat to four per cent but the market is now worth £5.5bn in the UK. There is lots of negativity around betting companies, some for good reasons and some for misinformed reasons. “For most people it is a fun leisure activity. But for some people it is not. Now because it is such a big market it is now quite a lot of people [encountering problems] even though it is a small percentage of overall customers.

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“It is an extremely serious issue. It is up to all of us, not just betting companies, to make sure people are protected. I do feel it is a really important for us.”

Despite the ever increasing headcount, the challenge of recruitment remains. For Mr Proctor there are no “queues of people in the city that we can tap into”.

However he said he views the competition for the best people as being a positive thing for both Sky Bet and the region.

“Leeds is a huge centre of technical excellence. If you are a standout employer you are going to benefit from that. There might be bumps along the way when somebody else turns up in town but over the long term it can only benefit you.”

Acid Test

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Making Sky Betting & Gaming a standout employer is a mission the firm has been on for sometime.

It boasts a graduate training programme, a Skills Academy, a Tech Academy and a Management Development Academy we well as making use of the Apprenticeship Levy.

However Mr Proctor prefers a different metric

“The test I always use is, is it somewhere you want your kids to work at?”, he said.

"I could throw all the words under the sun at you, buzz words and all the rest, But as an acid test would I want my kids to work here. And the answer is yes.”