Sazka Group and KKCG, the investment body behind the pan-European lottery and gaming giant, have appointed Pavel Turek as chief officer of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and global brand.
Turek, who will serve in the role across Sazka and KKCG, was most recently chief executive of Automobilist.
Prior to this, Turek spent six years as commercial director of the Red Bull Air Race and also had a spell as marketing director of international sailing competition SailGP.
Earlier in his career, Turek spent 17 years working for Fornula 1 motor racing team West McLaren Mercedes, managing the commercial relationship between West and McLaren and working with drivers including Mika Häkkinen, David Coulthard, and Kimi Räikkönen.
“My main goal will be to create a concept where global and local brands coexist. I will also assist in the creation of the company’s corporate social responsibility,” Turek said. “I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to work in (KKCG founder) Karel Komárek’s ambitious team.”
Komárek added: “I know Pavel as a creative and experienced manager. I believe that thanks to his knowledge in the field of sport, he can bring new ideas to our group which will advance the public perception of our brands.
“To do this, we will not only rely on marketing, but also our projects in the field of corporate social responsibility. We are placing greater emphasis on these types of projects in all countries in which we operate.”
The appointment comes after Sazka last month recorded revenue figures of €740.1m for the second quarter of 2021.
The figure represents a 200.1% increase on the same period last year before the acquisition of a majority stake in Casinos Austria was finalised – with Casino Austria’s contribution in 2020 factored in the increase stands at 77.3%.
