Ian Bradley appointed Co-CEO at First

Ian Bradley has joined First as Co-CEO, where he will operate alongside Tom Light who has been CEO since January 2024. 

Prior to his appointment at First, Bradley was SVP & Managing Director of DraftKings B2B, a position he held for over six years. 

He previously worked at SBTech as Head of Platform in 2016, before being promoted to Chief Product Officer then Chief Strategy Officer in 2019. 

In this role, Bradley was responsible for the strategic direction of SBTech, including its key projects and the jurisdictions it was operating in. 

During this time, he must have made a good impression on long-standing CEO of First, Light, who was SVP of Product at SBTech from 2014 until 2023.

Any Co-CEO appointment is always interesting, especially with Light being the main leader at the helm.

On LinkedIn, Light wrote: “Ten years ago, neither of us could have imagined where this journey would take us.

“Since then we’ve been through just about everything. We built SBTech side by side, practically lived in the same house for years (a door apart), travelled the world together, celebrated the biggest wins, dealt with the toughest moments, and somehow always found a way forward.

“Life took us in different directions for a while. Today, WE ARE BACK!”

First is a sportsbook technology provider, managing partnerships across LatAm, Europe and Africa. 

Global Gaming Insider also featured Light in its three-part documentary exploring the history of betting on the World Cup.

Light continued: “I’m proud to officially welcome Ian Bradley as Co-CEO of First.

“People know I’m generally not a fan of Co-CEO structures. Most don’t work. But after spending 10 years in the trenches with someone, you stop thinking in titles. You know exactly what the other person brings to the table, where they make you better, and where together you’re stronger than either of you could ever be alone.

“We did it once… Now it’s time to do it again.”

Bradley will help to lead the company and help drive growth across more core markets. 

On his appointment, Bradley said: “First has built something rare - a world-class team and genuinely Tier-1 technology, with the trading depth and product to back it. 

“I wanted to work alongside a team like this and help build on the success they’ve already created. 

“Running the company alongside Tom as Co-CEO is exactly the challenge I wanted next, and the opportunity in B2B right now - across LatAm, Europe and beyond - is enormous.”