A fair gamble: Alex Gersh

Alex Gersh, finance director of Paddy Power Betfair, discusses the challenges of Brexit and the company merger, and states the importance of responsible corporate citizenship and board transparency.

Don’t ask Alex Gersh about his betting record. The 53-year-old finance director of Paddy Power Betfair doesn’t gamble much—his first ever flutter was when he joined the company four and a half years ago.
And when he did bet on the two most tumultuous events of the past few decades—the Brexit vote and the US election—he lost money both times.
He admits this with a big laugh: “I went with the received wisdom and bet on Remain and Hillary Clinton. Wrong.
“But there is a way that everyone can make money, even when you are going to lose, and that’s by trading in and out of the odds so you can minimise your risk.”
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