In a statement released by the sports betting operator, Hanai’s appointment signals the company’s intention to grow and expand its business operations Stateside.
Currently headquartered in London, Smarkets also has offices in Los Angeles and Malta. Hanai will be working out of a new office based on the East Coast of the US.
Hanai joins Smarkets from sportswear giant Nike, where he worked as Head of Global Innovation Finance, and has previous roles at Google and BP.
Previously, though, Hanai was already an existing investor at Smarkets.
In a statement on his new role, Hanai said: “I’m delighted to be joining Smarkets, a company I have followed since the very beginning of its journey and seen blossom into one of the world’s leading sports betting companies.”
Smarkets operates the sportsbook app SBK, which is currently live in Colorado. The company is looking to expand its customer base, with official app launches in Indiana and Iowa to come in the near future.
Smarkets also operates a betting exchange and betting market platform that is used to provide odds for the SBK app.
Smarkets CEO and Founder, Jason Trost, said of the appointment: “I’m super excited about Sheldon joining us to head up our push into the US.
"We have looked far and wide for the right candidate for what is an absolutely crucial role as we expand our footprint in the States. Sheldon was the outstanding choice and I couldn’t be more pleased that he’s joining us.”
