BCLC appoints Pat Davis as new President and CEO after seven-month search

BCLC appoints Pat Davis as CEO and President
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British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) has this week confirmed the appointment of Pat Davis as its new President and CEO.

Following a candidate search and review process described as ‘competitive’ by BCLC, Davis – who brings with him nearly 20 years of experience in the gambling industry – was selected as the outstanding candidate.

Davis began his new role on Thursday, August 4.

“Pat brings a wealth of knowledge in both the technology and gambling industries,” commented BCLC Board Chair Greg Moore.

“We are confident his experience combined with his dedication to integrity, player health and serving the best interests of our players and our province will further propel the advancement of BCLC as a social purpose company that operates with the highest standards.”

Davis was most recently BCLC’s Chief Information Officer and Vice President, Business Technology, tasked with leading the refresh of the firm’s technology platforms and enabling the delivery of its digital strategy and innovation agenda.

Described by BCLC as an ‘expert in large-scale transformation’, Davis is also a member of the Chief Information Officer Council of British Columbia, and he will continue to be located at the Kamloops head office.

BCLC’s statement confirming the Davis appointment also included a note of gratitude from its Board of Directors to Lynda Cavanaugh, who served as Interim President and CEO since January 2021.

Cavanaugh took over the reins from previous incumbent Moore, who was the interim replacement for President and CEO Jim Lightbody after he went on medical leave.

Lightbody subsequently stepped down in December 2021, prompting BCLC to launch its global recruitment process in January.

Two further executive appointments have also been announced by BCLC; Dan Beebe is now Chief Operating Officer and Sandra Austin is Chief People Officer.

Both were in the roles on an interim basis for a number of months after an ‘internal competitive hiring process’, with Austin located at BCLC’s head office and Beebe situated at its Vancouver office.