The Pools appoints Head of Product and Head of CRM as restructuring continues
British betting brand The Pools has named Chris Williams as Head of Product and Matt Knowles as Head of CRM ahead of a planned rebrand in 2025.
The Pools has announced two senior appointments as part of its ongoing restructuring, naming Chris Williams as Head of Product and Matt Knowles as Head of CRM with effect from 16 December 2024.
The hires are intended to support the brand’s growth plans for 2025, including a multi-channel strategy overhaul ahead of a rebranding campaign due to launch in the new year.
Industry backgrounds
Williams joins with around a decade of experience in sports betting product development across app, mobile and web platforms. He previously worked as Product Manager at SIS Betting, spent four years as Senior Product Manager at Sky Betting & Gaming, and most recently served three years as Head of Product at LiveScore Group.
Knowles brings experience from BV Group (formerly Victor Chandler), Betfair, Gamesys and Betway Group, where he worked on global projects focused on customer engagement, retention, loyalty and satisfaction.
Part of a wider hiring push
The appointments follow other recent additions to The Pools’ leadership team, including Sharon Wright, formerly of Nike, Adidas and Reebok, as Marketing Director, and Phillip Donegan, previously of Betfred, as Chief Technology Officer. The company has indicated further hires are expected in the coming months as it pursues an expansion strategy heading into 2025.
James Arnold, CEO of The Pools, said the appointments would support both product development and customer relationships as the brand works towards its rebrand and continued growth next year, adding that improving the web, mobile and app experience would be central to its digital transformation plans.
Williams said his focus would be on delivering a strong product experience across web, mobile and app as the brand relaunches to new audiences. Knowles said he aims to build on the loyalty of The Pools’ existing customer base while helping attract new players.
The Pools is the rebranded identity of The Football Pools, which marked its 100th anniversary in 2023. The company holds a long-standing position in the UK market as a forerunner to the National Lottery and as the first operator to offer a multimillion-pound jackpot. Alongside its pools betting products, it also offers lotto, sports betting, casino and free-to-play games.