Jim Humberstone has long been GVC chief executive Kenny Alexander’s trusted lieutenant. He was chief operating officer until the operator recruited Shay Segev and Jim Humberstone was transferred to a role in which he really excels. Humberstone took the GVC trading model and implemented it at newly-acquired bwin.party. Within a year, the business had been turned around. Margins have improved by about one per cent. He has been a huge influence on making a success of an acquisition that to some looked like a massive gamble. Alexander knew better. He knew he had Humberstone’s trading know-how, which is second to none.