National Lottery announces intention of CEO to leave role later this year
Premier Lotteries Ireland DAC (PLI) today announced CEO Dermot Griffin has indicated his intention to leave his present role later this year in order to pursue other opportunities
Mr Griffin has led the National Lottery for the past 14 years. This has been a transformational period for the business which saw a 40% increase in sales (from €578 million in 2004 to €805 million in 2018). In the course of his tenure, Griffin has been responsible for many significant developments including the introduction of the National Lottery Star logo; the development of online and mobile lottery services; the revamping of all lottery games and the extension of the retail network. Under his leadership, the National Lottery has raised €3.2 billion for Good Causes.
Griffin played a central role in the transition of the National Lottery to a private operating licence in 2014, which raised €405 million for the State and required the largest single deployment of new technology in Irish retail history. Since that transition, PLI has recorded four years of continuous growth of funding to Good Causes to €228 million over that period.
Dermot Griffin said: “It has been a privilege to lead the National Lottery for the last 14 years during a period of continuous development in all aspects of the business, including the change in ownership from public to private. I am particularly proud of the €3.2 billion raised for Good Causes during my tenure which has had such a positive impact on the quality of life in every community around the country.
“I am proud of what the Irish National Lottery has become and what it has contributed to Irish society. I feel that the time is now right for me to move on to new challenges.”
Pádraig Ó Ríordáin, Chairman of PLI, said: “I would like to thank Dermot for his long and accomplished leadership of the National Lottery. Dermot has contributed enormously to the development of the Lottery and in doing so, to Good Causes across Ireland which it supports. We wish Dermot continued success in the future.”
Dermot Griffin will also continue to support the business in an advisory capacity in the coming years.
The Board of PLI has appointed Barry Herriott of Korn Ferry to assist it in undertaking a search process to identify a new Chief Executive.