Hector Fernandez Appointed As New CEO Of IGT
United States.- December 4, 2025 – www.zonadeazar.com IGT has announced the appointment of Hector Fernandez as the new Chief Executive Officer of the company, confirming his arrival at the group’s global headquarters in Las Vegas. The leadership change marks the beginning of a new chapter for the combined IGT–Everi enterprise, now under the strategic umbrella of Apollo.
According to the official announcement, Fernandez joins IGT as CEO with responsibility for leading the combined enterprise and overseeing the gaming business unit. The executive, best known for his previous role as CEO of Aristocrat Gaming, takes over at a pivotal moment for the company, as it continues to integrate operations, portfolios and teams from both IGT and Everi.
The board emphasizes that this move is more than just a change of name at the top. It is presented as the starting point of a new phase in which the group seeks to accelerate growth, reinforce its innovation capabilities and strengthen relationships with operators and partners in key regulated markets worldwide.
The appointment comes at a time when the global gaming industry is undergoing consolidation. Major groups are building vertically integrated platforms that bring together land-based casino products, digital content and financial services linked to payments and fintech. In such an environment, executive leadership becomes critical to align culture, strategy and performance.
Fernandez will serve as CEO of the combined IGT–Everi enterprise and will be directly responsible for the gaming business unit. The combination with Everi was designed to expand scale, diversify the product portfolio and enhance technological capabilities in areas such as slots, casino management systems, lottery solutions and integrated entertainment experiences across land-based and online channels.
The new CEO brings a track record of driving revenue growth, expanding market share and improving profitability in previous roles. His profile blends experience in gaming, technology and strategic management, three elements that are increasingly important for competing in a market shaped by regulation, innovation cycles and shifting consumer behavior.
The company also announced that Nick Khin, who had been serving as interim enterprise CEO and head of the gaming business unit, will step down from those operational roles and transition to a position as Strategic Advisor to the senior leadership team and the board. The move is presented as a planned and orderly succession, recognizing Khin’s contribution over more than a decade and his role during the integration phase with Everi.
At the same time, IGT reaffirmed continuity in two key business areas. The Digital business unit will continue to be led by Gil Rotem, while the FinTech business unit will remain under the leadership of Darren Simmons. In this way, the group combines renewal at the very top with stability in the teams responsible for online growth and financial services.
From an economic standpoint, Fernandez’s appointment signals a commitment to unlocking the full growth potential of the combined platform. The integration of systems, teams and product lines across IGT and Everi opens the door to cost synergies, greater operational efficiency and a stronger value proposition for casinos, state lotteries and iGaming operators.
On the regulatory front, having a CEO with international experience is particularly relevant at a time when gaming frameworks are becoming more complex and demanding. Coordinating with gaming regulators, state authorities and financial watchdogs requires a consistent approach to compliance, transparency and corporate governance. A strong and visible executive leadership can become a competitive advantage in this area.
Technologically, IGT’s new phase will unfold at the crossroads of traditional casino content and digital ecosystems. Today’s market demands integrated solutions that connect land-based systems, online platforms, electronic wallets, data management tools and advanced analytics. The appointment of a leader with a background in technology-driven gaming companies reinforces expectations that IGT will push further into innovation and customer-centric product development.
From an institutional perspective, the presence of Apollo as a key shareholder and board-level player adds another layer of expectations in terms of financial discipline and strategic clarity. Bringing in a CEO with proven leadership and restructuring experience sends a clear message: the group intends to position itself as one of the most relevant gaming and services platforms globally, with a long-term agenda built around growth and profitability.
Looking ahead, the new era under Hector Fernandez can be described as a blend of continuity and renewal. Continuity, because the company maintains its strategic focus on omnichannel gaming, international expansion and the development of fintech-related solutions connected to the gaming ecosystem. Renewal, because the new CEO will imprint his own vision on culture, talent management, investment priorities and execution speed.
For casino operators, lotteries and sports betting or iGaming platforms, this leadership change may translate into a refreshed product roadmap, sharper integration between solutions and closer support in areas such as data, responsible gaming tools and player experience optimization.
In high-growth regions such as Latin America, future strategic decisions taken by the new leadership team could influence which technologies, content and partnership models become available in each jurisdiction. The combination of global scale, ongoing R&D investment and internationally experienced leadership positions IGT as a key partner to watch in the coming years.
With Hector Fernandez at the helm, IGT signals that it is entering a phase where integration with Everi, technological innovation and strategic discipline will be tightly aligned under a single leadership vision, headquartered in Las Vegas but clearly focused on global opportunities.
🔗 Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com