Paris Smith steps down as Pinnacle CEO after 17 years on the job

Steve Jobs means Apple, Elon Musk Tesla, and Mark Zuckerberg Facebook. If you have been around the gambling industry, however, the name Paris Smith is associated with just one company, Pinnacle. After 17 years on the job, which she spent as the Chief Executive Officer, Smith is taking her leave from the hot seat to pursue, as she puts it, new opportunities.

Smith has thanked Pinnacle for the incredible experience and said that she needed to transition away from the intense day-to-day requirements of leading one of the most successful companies in gambling and entertainment. Under her watch, Pinnacle has become a heavyweight champion in the industry, conquering sports, casino, and becoming one of the earliest companies to break into esports and become profitable from the segment.

This was possible through the work of the passionate and dedicated people who took their cue from Smith herself. During her stint, she focused on building an experienced and diverse management team that now allows her to leave the job knowing that the company she helped establish would be in good hands.

She has called it an honor to have been granted the opportunity to lead a brand and organizaiton such as Pinnacle, and although she is stepping away, she is not truly going to lose her passion for helping the company.

"I am excited to be able to focus more on the long-term strategy and business opportunities as I continue to promote, network, and create the connections to continue the success of Pinnacle," Smith said. She added that she would continue to promote the Pinnacle brand and raise awareness for the company at various events.

Pinnacle has already begun a search for a new CEO to help the company continue to steer its way through the constantly-evolving industry. Smith is in the meantime taking an advisory role with the company, as indicated by her LinkedIn profile.

Pinnacle was founded in 2006 in Curacao and it has quickly become one of the best-known brands in the world. The company has expanded its product offering to cover every vertical of the industry and when electronic sports was still only a theoretical concept, Pinnacle already had a ready formula to make the most out of this entertaining segment.

The company’s successes would have been hard to imagine without Smith holding a firm and dedicated hand at the rudder.

Image credit: SBC