Entain CFO Rob Wood Will be Replaced by CFO of Royal Mail Parent Company

Rob Wood is to step down as Group CFO and Deputy CEO at Entain after 13 years with the operator, and will be replaced by logistics industry executive Michael Snape.

Wood was part of the group during a complete transformation, after originally joining Coral Retail in 2012 as Business Development and Strategy Director. He then remained with the business after its merger with Ladbrokes in 2016, and following Ladbrokes Coral’s acquisition by GVC Holdings in 2018; the same year in which Wood became CFO of the enlarged group.

GVC changed its name to Entain in 2020, and Wood became Deputy CEO of Entain on top of his position as CFO in January 2021. His replacement Snape will join the group as CFO Designate in February 2026 and will succeed Wood as Group CFO and Executive Director of the Board on March 6. Wood will remain at Entain until June to oversee the transition of responsibilities.

Wood said:

"It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be part of Entain's growth over the last 13 years, and I am proud of the transformation the group has undergone during that time.

"With Entain's and BetMGM's pathway to long-term success well established, now is the right time for me to pass the reins on, and I am confident that the group has an extremely bright future."

Snape’s retail experience

Snape’s most recent role is as CFO of logistics firm International Distribution Services (IDS), the parent company of Royal Mail, where he has been since 2024 and played a key role in its £3.6 billion sale to Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group.

Snape also comes with a strong background in retail. Prior to his time at IDS, Snape was at Walgreens Boots Alliance as CFO of Boots, No7 Beauty & International. He has also been CFO International at Tesco and Head of Strategy for Waitrose & Partners.

Commenting on his appointment at Entain, Snape said:

"I am thrilled to be joining Entain at such an exciting time in its growth and transformation story. I look forward to working with Stella [David, Entain CEO], the Board and the leadership team to deliver value for all Entain's stakeholders."

CEO’s thoughts

Entain CEO Stella David said:

"On behalf of the Board and everyone at Entain, I would like to express my sincere thanks to Rob for the tremendous contribution he has made to the group. His expertise and dedication have helped us to successfully transform into the global business we are today. We wish him all the very best for the next chapter of his career.

"I am delighted to be welcoming Michael to Entain. His seasoned leadership, financial and operational expertise, and international experience will be invaluable as we continue to execute our strategic priorities. I look forward to working closely with Michael to deliver Entain's exciting potential in the years ahead."

Wood warned of black market rise

Following the announcement of the UK’s Autumn Budget last month, Wood echoed David in calling it a “jackpot win” for the black market.

In the budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed remote gaming duty, paid on online casino betting, is to increase from 21% to 40% of gross profit from April 2026, and that general betting duty, paid on online sports betting, will go up from 15% to 25% in April 2027.

In his post, Wood wrote:

“This isn’t just bad for business; it’s bad for consumers and bad for sport. If we want a safe, sustainable gambling market, we need policies that strengthen regulation – not drive players underground.”