Seven commissioners join UKGC

The Secretary of State has appointed seven new commissioners to the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) who will now serve in various time frames, from four to five years in general. Their appointments have been in effect since September 11, 2023, but this is the first time the government has officially confirmed their appointment.

The seven commissioners in question are Charles Counsell, Helen Dodds, Sheree Howard, and Claudia Mortimore who will serve a five-year stint with the UKGC, and their colleagues, Lloydette Bai-Marrow, Helen Philips, and David Rossington, who will serve as commissioners for four years.

The appointments have been coordinated with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments, which states that any political activity undertaken by an appointee must be disclosed. Every appointment is significant, too.

Lloydette Bai-Marrow is the Chair of the Board of Spotlight on Corruption, a UK-based anti-corruption charity. She is also a Senior Visiting Lecturer at the International Anti-Corruption Academy in Vienna, Austria.

Her colleague Charles Counsell served as Chief Executive Officer of The Pensions Regulator between April 2019 and March 2023. He has worked in both the private and public sectors, focusing on large change programs.

Helen Dodds is an international lawyer as well as a consultant and a board member. She is also an Honorary Senior Fellow of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and previously served as a board member of the London Court of International Arbitration.

Sheree Howard is another well-seasoned industry veteran, and she worked in the UK financial services for more than 25 years. She serves as an Executive Director of Risk and Compliance Oversight at the Financial Conduct Authority presently, making her uniquely qualified to be a part of the UK Gambling Commission and the watchdog’s efforts to stem out money laundering from the industry.

Another accomplished individual, Claudia Mortimore, is well-versed in criminal law and regulation, and she has 25 years of experience under her belt. She is also equally interested in Diversity and Inclusion and has a specific interest in mental health and well-being, which are important to the gambling industry.

Helen Phillips holds several executive and non-executive appointments. She is Chair of NHS Professionals Ltd and Chair of the Charted Insurance Institute. She is uniquely positioned to better understand the need to treat individuals who suffer from gambling-related harm.

Not least, there is David Rossington, who is a former senior civil servant and used to work at the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport as Finance Director. The DCMS is the organization that spearheads the government review of the existing gambling laws.

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