DAZN has announced major changes to its C-level executive team as it seeks to advance key commercial projects and align the strategic development of its changed portfolio of group assets.
The global OTT sports and entertainment group announced three changes to its executive leadership supporting Group Chief Executive Shay Segev, effective immediately.
Former Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany has accepted the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO). The appointment is deemed critical as Delany will spearhead a new operating strategy for an enlarged DAZN following its acquisition of Australian broadcaster Foxtel in 2025.
Based in London, Delany will hold end-to-end responsibility for DAZN’s daily operations, with a central focus on accelerating subscriber and revenue growth across the group.
His remit will encompass DAZN’s operational businesses, pricing and packaging, sports rights renewals and relationships with rights holders. Delany will also oversee content production and execution alongside the group’s advertising and sponsorship activities.
Delany brings more than 30 years of experience across sports media and digital subscription businesses. He led Foxtel Group as CEO from 2018, having previously served as CEO of Fox Sports Australia.
In support of DAZN’s acquisition, Delany oversaw Foxtel’s integration into the wider group and the formation of DAZN Australia, whose products are reported to reach one in every two Australian households.
Alongside the operational appointment, DAZN will place its financial unit under the leadership of Alex Gersh, who joins the group as Chief Financial Officer.
Gersh is recognised as a figurehead within the sports betting and iGaming sectors, having previously served as CFO of Betfair Plc and subsequently Paddy Power Betfair following a transformative £5bn merger undertaken in 2016.
Choosing new pastures in 2020, Gersh joined Sportradar AG as financial officer to spearhead the sports data and intelligence firm’s listing on the Global Nasdaq. DAZN views Gersh as a best-in-class executive to lead the its new financial profile to investors and global markets.
Gersh will take charge of DAZN’s financial strategy, capital allocation and group performance, with a further mandate to support long-term value creation towards sustainable profitability.
The appointment sees Darren Waterman step down as CFO to take on the newly created position of Chief Business Officer (CBO.) Waterman, had led DAZN’s finance unit since 2022, will now spearhead the group’s strategic commercial projects, global partnerships, distribution agreements and corporate transactions.
DAZN credited Waterman with guiding its finances and corporate development through a period of accelerated expansion, culminating in the company reaching profitability for the first time in 2025.
The leadership overhaul follows a transformative period in which DAZN completed its acquisition of Foxtel, delivered global coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup and expanded its technical and commercial capabilities.
During 2026, the group has announced acquisitions of ViewLift and EverPass, renewed premium sports rights across its core markets and integrated FIFA+ into its global platform. DAZN has also accelerated the development of a regional sports distribution business in the US.
Commenting on the appointments, CEO Segev said: “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.
“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.
“The stage is set for our strengthened leadership team to intensify our mission to build the world’s best sports entertainment platform for fans, rights holders and partners.”
Segev continues commercial diversification
The executive restructuring will also raise questions concerning the future direction of the group’s betting subsidiary, DAZNBet.
DAZN began 2026 outlining an aggressive expansion strategy for the sportsbook, which was active across the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany, with Ontario identified as its first regulated market entry outside Europe.
However, beyond its Canadian expansion, the market has witnessed few developments concerning the brand’s performance, leadership or further integration within DAZN’s wider sports-media platform.
DAZN was founded in 2007 with the ambition of becoming the “Netflix of global sports streaming”.
However, the business, majority-owned by Access Industries, the investment firm of Sir Len Blavatnik, has undertaken several strategic changes this decade.
In 2022, under the leadership of Shay Segev, DAZN launched a diversification strategy to broaden its commercial activities beyond OTT streaming, targeting opportunities across iGaming, ticketing, advertising and B2B technology and data services.
DAZN recorded a net loss of $936m in 2024, reduced from $1.4bn in 2023, and is yet to demonstrate an annual net profit in its published accounts.
While DAZN now claims that it reached profitability in 2025, the group’s latest publicly reported figures underline the financial challenge facing its new leadership team.