Former Coral and UK Tote executive, Lee Richardson is taking the helm at Irish independent bookmakers, Boylesports.

The company said yesterday that Mr Richardson will join the Irish group as chief executive officer from his current role with Canadian gaming software developer, Chartwell.

He is chief executive of Chartwell Games International, the licensing and marketing arm of the Toronto-listed group.

Mr Richardson began his career as a production engineer with General Motors, before joining car hire giant Hertz, where he became director of marketing for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

In 1998, he became managing director of Tote direct.