Sun International has confirmed that Ulrik Bengtsson will become its new Chief Executive, as the South African gaming group chases regional leadership ambitions.
The company cited Bengtsson’s ‘experience and proven track record’ as being a key reason behind his appointment, with the Johannesburg-based firm having undergone a ‘significant transformation’ in recent years.
Bengtsson’s most recent role in the betting and gaming space was as Chairman of the Board at Raketech, a gaming affiliate group. Raketech announced that Bengtsson was departing the role last week to take on a CEO role at an unnamed international company, now confirmed as Sun.
Prior to his role at Raketech, Bengtsson held c-level roles at Virgin Media but most significant to his new employers will be his CEO tenures at Betsson Group from 2012-2017 and William Hill from 2018-2022. He will assume his new role at Sun on 1 July 2025, though he may start earlier depending on the approval of his South African work permit.
Source: SBC Leaders / William Hill
William Hill has particular similarities to Sun, with both firms having a traditional business model of land-based gaming before launching online offerings. In William Hill’s case the company is a retail legacy brand in the UK while Sun is a casino resort operator in South Africa, but now offers online betting and gaming under the Sun Bet and Sun Slots brands.
Bengtsson remarked: “Sun International is an iconic leisure group with a proud heritage, and a unique growth opportunity to become a leading omnichannel player in the rapidly evolving global gaming landscape.
“I am thrilled to bring my experience and expertise to this fantastic organisation as Chief Executive and look forward to working with the board and other stakeholders to drive its continued success and chart a bold path forward into the future.”
New leadership for a new era
Bengtsson’s appointment at Sun comes as the firm targets regional leadership in Southern Africa, having already built itself up as one of the biggest market incumbents in South Africa – one of the continent’s most valuable and competitive markets.
Just last week the company announced its full-year financial results for 2024 revealing a 5% increase in revenue from R11.97bn (£508m) to R12.6bn (£535m). The group’s online sportsbook brand, Sun Bet, is making a significant contribution to this, with revenue up 61% from R733m (£31.3m ) to R1.2bn (£51.2m).
In its report, the firm noted ‘dynamic changes’ in the gaming industry while the group’s own transformation takes place. Bengtsson will be expected to steer the group through these external and internal changes, leveraging his experience at the likes of William Hill, where his tenure saw the COVID-19 pandemic, start of the UK Gambling Act review, and the firm’s sales to Caesars Entertainment and 888holdings.
Bengtsson will succeed long-term Sun CEO Anthony Leeming, who is taking early retirement from the company. Leeming has been CEO of the company since 1999, overseeing the aforementioned transformation from land-focused business to an omni-channel one in line with the digital demands of modern consumers.
Sam Sithole, Sun International Chairman, commented: “Anthony has left an indelible mark on Sun International and the remainder of the group, and I would like to thank him for his significant contribution and dedication to the business over the last 26 years, and especially for his exemplary stewardship of the group since 2017.
“Ulrik is a highly experienced and accomplished global executive with deep industry knowledge and expertise. His proven track record of delivering results and unlocking value in complex, dynamic environments position him extremely well to lead Sun International into its next phase of growth. The board extends a warm welcome to Ulrik as Chief Executive.”
