Paul Whitbread, founder of U.K.-based gaming software provider NRM, is retiring after 26 years. He has sold his shares to longtime partner Andrew Ludlow, who assumes full equity in the leading developer and supplier of software solutions to the AGC, betting, bingo, pub and holiday park sectors.
In a statement made to the NRM workforce, Whitbread said, “After being diagnosed with cancer in 2007, rather than sell NRM I invited Andrew to join me as an equity partner. Some 18 months ago my health deteriorated, and I decided to take an exit from the business, which has been delayed by the Covid crisis.”
He said 2020 was spent “putting into place a new dynamic structure” led by Ludlow which “enabled me to step away. It’s been a great ride and I’d like to thank you personally for your loyalty. I wish Andrew and the entire NRM team all the very best moving forward.”
Ludlow added, “Paul has been an inspiration to everyone who has been involved with NRM over the last three decades. Working alongside Paul we have been successful in diversifying the business leveraging what I believe to be industry-leading technology to enter new sectors whilst always retaining NRM’s bingo heritage and expertise.
“Throughout my journey with NRM since being invited to join in 2012, Paul’s support has been unwavering, and we remain great friends. To echo Paul’s comments, we have been planning the transition in meticulous detail.
“The structure that’s in place and the R&D work that’s been going on throughout the last 12 months provides us with a great opportunity to hit the ground running, to continue to support our customers with a combination of best-in-breed technologies and the ‘whatever-it-takes’ attitude of the NRM team,” he said. “It has helped to get us through some of the dark and challenging days that everyone has experienced over the last year.”
