According to Sky News Entain has instructed headhunters to identify a successor to chair Stella David, who is currently in her second stint as its interim chief executive.

City sources told Sky News that a number of candidates had been approached about replacing Ms David in recent weeks.

Entain announced in February that CEO Gavin Isaacs has stepped down with immediate effect. Chair Stella David will be CEO on an interim basis until a replacement is found. It failed to offer a more detailed reason for his exit, although industry rumours suggested the and Ms David had failed to build a viable working relationship.

She said: “Entain is making strong progress in delivering our strategic priorities. We would like to thank Gavin for his contribution. The board is pleased with the group’s performance in 2024 and trading so far this year. “The board and management remain aligned on the group’s focus on operational excellence and maximising shareholder value. I look forward to leading the business as we continue to accelerate our performance.”