4Poker names Heath Cram as COO

Heath Cram joins 4Poker from Flutter, where he served as senior director of operations, international.

UK.- The online poker startup 4Poker has named Heath Cram as its new chief operating officer (COO). He leaves Flutter Entertainment, where he most recently served as senior director of operations for the Irish giant’s international division. He will start in the new role immediately.

Cram has more than 15 years’ experience in the industry, having spent a lengthy stint at PokerStars before its acquisition by Flutter. He started at the company in 2006 and worked in positions such as BetStars acting MD and director of sports business development and operations.

He moved to Sportradar for a period in 2016-2017 then returned to PokerStars, serving as director of operations for product and programme. In his new role at 4Poker, he will be responsible for the new business’s general commercial operations and strategy ahead of its launch.

Cram said: “It was hard to resist the contagious passion and energy of the 4Poker team. I’m really excited to be joining such a focused team of poker players creating a new platform for players and being part of what is shaping up to be the second online poker boom.

“I’ve always loved poker, so mixing that with the excitement of a start-up, I’m very much looking forward to this opportunity.”

4Poker is planning a soft launch and trial with invited guests in the fourth quarter of this year.

Meanwhile, FTSE 100-listed Flutter Entertainment has named former Fleet Street reporter Steve Hawkes as its new director of reputational and public affairs for the UK and Ireland. He joins Flutter from the public affairs agency BCW Global, where he has been senior director of strategic media communications since 2019.

The company has also named Ian Brown, a former Booking.com division CEO, as its new CEO for the UK and Ireland. He will join Flutter in September to replace Conor Grant, who has resigned to take a “planned career break”.