Three existing executive positions at Allwyn UK are being eliminated and replaced by an entirely new set of leadership roles under a restructure taking effect on 1 December 2026.
The shake-up follows the completion of the National Lottery’s long-delayed technology transformation earlier in 2026, and is explicitly aimed at driving stronger contributions to good causes across the UK.
Interim CEO Phil Walker is leading the reorganisation after taking charge following the departure of predecessor Andria Vidler, whose exit was announced back in August without a stated reason.
At the time, Allwyn UK said only that Vidler and chairman Justin King had agreed that “this is the right moment for her to step down,” leaving the circumstances of her exit unexplained.
The incoming structure scraps the Chief Technology Officer, Managing Director of Digital, and Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer positions, redistributing responsibilities across Digital, Retail and Security functions.
Mark Smith, who has served as Chief Technology Officer, will leave his current post but remain attached to the business as Technology Strategy Adviser through to June 2027 to ensure continuity during the transition.
Richard Dawkins, who has held the Managing Director of Digital title for close to three years, will formally exit in December 2026, having steered the digital business through a period of considerable change and games portfolio innovation.
Sarah Venning, the Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer credited with helping shape the company’s direction during its transformation phase, will leave at the end of November 2026.
To fill the gaps left by those departures, Allwyn UK is introducing a Chief Marketing Officer, a Chief Digital Officer, and a newly conceived Director of Social Impact position.
Stephen Taylor is set to step in as interim Chief Marketing Officer from 17 November 2026, arriving just ahead of the new structure going live.
Alastair Ruxton, currently serving as Chief Impact Officer, will transition into the Director of Social Impact role, reporting directly to Walker and focusing on communicating the lottery’s benefit to communities around the country.
The Chief Digital Officer position, arguably the most consequential of the three new appointments given the integration of technology capabilities, has yet to be filled.
Walker acknowledged the outgoing executives’ contributions and indicated the next stage of the National Lottery’s development would be built on the foundations they helped establish.
The unresolved CDO vacancy means Allwyn UK enters its new operational structure with at least one critical seat still empty, leaving a degree of uncertainty around the digital strategy it is placing at the heart of its growth ambitions.
