DAZN Appoints Former Sportradar CFO Alex Gersh In Leadership Reshuffle
Gersh joins as CFO as Darren Waterman moves into a new commercial role and former Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany becomes COO.
DAZN has appointed former Sportradar and Paddy Power Betfair finance executive Alex Gersh as Chief Financial Officer as part of a wider restructuring of its senior leadership team.
Gersh succeeds Darren Waterman, who has moved into the newly created position of Chief Business Officer (CBO), while former Foxtel Group CEO Patrick Delany has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO). All three executives will report directly to DAZN Group CEO Shay Segev, with the appointments effective immediately.
The changes come as DAZN targets what it describes as its next phase of profitable growth following a period of acquisitions, international expansion and investment in sports rights.
Gersh Brings Betting And Sports Technology Experience
Gersh has more than 25 years of financial leadership experience across sports technology, betting and other sectors. He most recently served as CFO of Sportradar, where he oversaw the sports technology and betting data provider's Nasdaq listing in 2021.
Before joining Sportradar, Gersh spent more than three years as CFO of Betfair and retained the position following its £5 billion merger with Paddy Power in 2016.
At DAZN, Gersh will take responsibility for the group's financial performance, strategy and capital allocation as the company looks to build on reaching profitability for the first time in 2025.
Waterman had served as DAZN's CFO since 2022 and will now lead strategic commercial, partnership and transformation opportunities in his new role as CBO. His time overseeing the company's finances coincided with a significant period of M&A activity, including the acquisition of Australian pay-TV business Foxtel Group.
Patrick Delany Named Chief Operating Officer
Delany, who had led Foxtel Group as CEO since 2018, will oversee DAZN's day-to-day trading performance as COO. His responsibilities will include subscriber and revenue growth, pricing and packaging, sports rights renewals and relationships with rights holders, as well as content, advertising and sponsorship.
He recently oversaw Foxtel's integration into DAZN following its acquisition, which resulted in the creation of DAZN Australia. DAZN has also expanded through acquisitions of streaming technology business ViewLift and sports distribution platform EverPass.
“DAZN is entering an exciting new chapter of profitable growth, during which we will build on the strong momentum we have created in the business,” Segev said.
“Our built-for-sport platform is now available in more than 200 markets, connecting millions of fans across the world to the sports they love through immersive experiences that go far beyond broadcast.”
DAZN Confirms DACH Leadership Change
DAZN has also announced changes to its leadership in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, with Alice Mascia set to leave the company at the end of 2026 after four years as CEO of its DACH operation.
Felix Krause has returned to DAZN as Deputy CEO for the region with immediate effect and will succeed Mascia as DACH CEO from 1 January 2027.
The leadership changes follow a period of broader expansion for DAZN, including renewed sports rights across key markets, the integration of FIFA+ into its platform and growth of its regional sports operations in the US.
