The Unit Appoints Andy Clerkson as Chairman

The Unit, a product design and development specialist for the sports betting and igaming sectors, has announced the appointment of Andy Clerkson as Chairman. The move signals the company’s intent to accelerate its international growth strategy and strengthen its position in key markets.

Clerkson initially joined The Unit in 2023 as a strategic advisor. He brings extensive experience from across the igaming industry, having founded the technology and creative agency Grand Parade in 2007, which was later acquired by William Hill in 2016. He also played a key role in the formation of FOX Bet in the U.S., a joint venture between The Stars Group and FOX Sports, and has held leadership roles at SportCaller and investment firm Tekkorp Capital.

In his new role, Clerkson will guide The Unit’s efforts to scale its outsourced design and development capabilities. The company is currently supporting a number of international partners, including Sportingtech in Brazil and PlayStar Casino.

With operational teams in Ireland and Moldova and a new business development office launched in New York earlier this year, The Unit is positioning itself to become a preferred design and development partner for igaming and sportsbook operators worldwide.

Paddy Casey, Co-founder at The Unit, said: “I’ve known Andy for more than a decade, going back to my days working for Coral Interactive. We joined forces when I moved to Grand Parade, where we created a ground-breaking sports-betting platform, and we are now delighted to bring him onto The Unit’s board as Chairman.

“With The Unit set to scale up and take on several new markets, this is the perfect time to utilise Andy’s experience, and he will be able to take a more hands-on approach as we strategise for the future.

“I very much look forward to working closer with Andy across the next couple of years, and I can’t wait to embark on the next stage of our journey together with The Unit.”

Andy Clerkson said: “I have been thrilled about The Unit’s potential since Paddy decided to build a world-class betting and gaming design and development house. No-one has done this with the scale and capability of my former company Grand Parade – yet! The Unit are now in a position that is very familiar to me, as we scale the teams and skill sets that will allow our clients to grow and expand at pace.

“We anticipate a smorgasbord of product innovation in the near future as new categories, such as prediction markets, social casinos, DFS 2.0 and more, vie for attention. We have seen sports betting and gaming explode in newly-regulated markets like LatAm and Africa. The Unit’s sports, casino and social gaming specialist teams provide a golden opportunity for companies looking to build new products and features and get ahead of their roadmaps. Indicators are pointing towards a welcome increase in M&A from the lows of 2023/24, which drives even more competition.

“These are perfect conditions for The Unit as we have the deep ingrained knowledge and expertise to help gaming companies of all sizes, all across the globe, build high-quality products, on time and on budget.”