Updated

Per Widerström

Swedish

CEO
888 Holdings

Per Widerström is the CEO of the British bookmaker 888 Holdings, effective October 16, 2023. Widerström has more than 17 years of experience in the online gaming industry. He was the former CEO of the Europe-focused Fortuna Entertainment Group from 2014 to 2022. Before that, he held several different senior roles with various online gaming businesses beginning in 2006.
Education
  • University of Gothenburg
    1987-1990
  • The London School of Economics
    1990-1991

EMPLOYMENT

Per Widerström, the current CEO of 888 Holdings, has had many roles throughout his career. 

He started as a Management Consultant in January 1991 for Andersen Consulting, leaving a year later in January 1992. 

Widerström then became a Senior Project & Supply Chain Manager at Proctor & Gamble from January 1992 to September 1995. 

Following that, he took the post of Senior Management Consultant at Capgemini, leaving in August 1996. 

A move away from gambling then takes him to Coca-Cola from August 1996 to April 2000. 

A couple more roles as the Vice President and Co-Founder of Wannago from April 2000 to April 2001, before then becoming CEO of Telenor Mobile in Sweden from April 2001 to May 2004. 

He became the Vice President and COO of Kyivstar GSM in May 2004, leaving in March 2006. 

From there, Widerström moved to be the CEO and Director of Expekt.com LTD, where he stayed for almost four years between April 2006 and February 2010. 

He then served as the Chief Integration Officer & Group Games Director at Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment, where he started as COO, from February 2010 to November 2011. 

Furthermore, he was the Managing Director and Chairman of the Board at Gala Interactive, as well as the Chairman at Gala Coral Interactive between November 2011 and October 2014.

Widerström was the Group CEO and Chairman of the Management Board of Fortuna Entertainment from 2014-2022. 

As a result of being made CEO of 888 Holdings, Widerström stepped down from his roles of Non-Executive Board Member at Catena Media (held since May 2019) and Chairman of The Board of Directors at Casumo (held since July 2022). 

Currently, he holds the concurrent roles of Chairman of The Board of Directors, on behalf of Sprints Capital, at Bokadirekt.se (April 2022); Chairman of The Board of Directors at Turbotic (September 2020); Non-Executive Board Member & Chairman of the Technology Board Committee at Nordnet Bank AB (November 2017); Chairman of the Board of Directors, on behalf of Nordic Capital, at both Sambla and Qred AB (February 2022); Non-Executive Board Member, on behalf of Nordic Capital at Bilthouse GmbH (June 2023); and Operating Chair & Industrial Advisor at Nordic Capital (March 2022). 

“I am delighted and honoured to become the Group’s new CEO. Following 888’s combination with William Hill, the Group has a world-class portfolio of betting and gaming brands, an outstanding technology platform, and an exceptional team. Together these attributes mean it is exceptionally well positioned to become a clear global industry leader." Per Widerström

Interviews and public speeches

Per Widerström spoke to Gambling Insider in 2020, while he was the CEO of Fortuna Entertainment. 

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