Christopher Bell, who has been with Ladbrokes Plc for over 20 years – 9 years as its CEO – has announced that he is moving on. The 52 year old said that he would be leaving by the summer and Ladbrokes is already seeking a replacement. It is believed that Bell’s successor will come from inside the group, although an external candidate was not ruled out.

Industry speculations have it that the Managing Director of the Online Division, John O’Reilly is a serious contender for the job. Over the past year, Bell has been criticized for the lack of international expansion for Ladbrokes’ online division.

Bell has said that he will be taking some time off before seeking further employment opportunities in the gambling industry, although he said that he would not be working as hard as he had over the past years.