It’s a phrase we’ve all heard before, but first thing first – let’s set a few things straight. No, this isn’t a blog about Elvis, we’re pretty sure he’s long gone, despite what some conspiracy theorists might say. And no, as far as we’re aware, we haven’t changed monarchs recently either – if it was a king we’re sure we’d know about that! No, we’re talking about the departure of NetEnt’s CEO, Per Eriksson.

Gone But Not Forgotonsson

It wasn’t that long ago that the ICE Exhibition was around the corner, and Per Eriksson delivered a speech as NetEnt’s chief fat cat about the latest developments from the Swedish gaming giant. However, behind the scenes it appears that the company board wants to focus more on long-term growth for the company. With this in mind, they’ve made the decision to replace Per Eriksson with a new CEO.The Board of Directors decided that Per Eriksson is to step down immediately and the recruitment process would also begin.

In the interim, CFO, Therese Hillman will act in a dual role of CFO and CEO until a replacement is found. Vigo Carlund, NetEnt’s Chairman of the Board said: “NetEnt has developed well over many years but the overall performance of the Group has not been as it should. The Board believes that NetEnt needs a new driving force to reverse the trend and increase the focus on growth.” Ouch.

What’s Next For NetEnt?

Obviously there’s going to be a huge focus on growth and it’s going to need a CEO who can deliver that. For us online slot fans and casino players, surely this means that we can expect some exciting new slots and casino games to play? And as an expert in his field, we’re also intrigued to see where Mr. Eriksson will head to next.