Appointment sees former SBTech executive reunited with founder Tom Light to form a co-CEO partnership to lead FIRST.bet in its next phase of growth
Sportsbook technology provider FIRST.bet has appointed experienced sportsbook executive Ian Bradley as co-CEO of the business.
Bradley brings more than 20 years of B2B sportsbook and trading experience to the role, having started his career in spread betting and trading at Sporting Index and Sporting Solutions before joining SBTech – the B2B sportsbook business whose technology became part of DraftKings through their 2020 merger.
As senior vice president at DraftKings, Bradley was a central figure in the company’s sportsbook success in the years that followed, with responsibility for all of its consumer sportsbook revenue.
FIRST.bet was itself founded by former SBTech leaders, making Bradley’s appointment a return to the B2B roots where he built his career.
“Ian is one of the most respected leaders in our industry, and I worked alongside him at SBTech, so I’ve seen first-hand what he builds,” said FIRST.bet founder and co-CEO Tom Light. “I’ve wanted him alongside me at FIRST.bet for some time – that he’s only now free to join tells you how highly DraftKings valued him.
“Asking Ian to run the business with me as co-CEO is the clearest statement of intent we could make: FIRST.bet is building the platform serious operators choose, and together we’ll get there faster.”
Commenting on his appointment, Bradley said: “FIRST.bet has built something rare – a world-class team and genuinely Tier-1 technology, with the trading depth and product to back it. I wanted to work alongside a team like this and help build on the success they’ve already created.
“Running the company alongside Tom as co-CEO is exactly the challenge I wanted next, and the opportunity in B2B right now – across LATAM, Europe and beyond – is enormous.”