Dr Michael Koch, lecturer in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour at Kent Business School, comments on the huge pay day for Denise Coates.
‘A pay package of nearly £200m pounds makes Denise Coates one of the best paid executives in the world. Very few executives in the world, most of whom head very large companies, can boast of similar pay packages, and in most cases, the vast majority of their compensation is stock-based to align it with shareholder interests.
‘Bet365, on the other hand, is a somewhat different case. It employs a relatively small number of employees (more than 3,000 according to their website), and is mostly owned by Denise Coates and her family.
‘Coates’ pay package may appear obscene, especially since Bet365 operates in an industry which, in the eyes of others, does not create tangible value for its customers and may even harm many of them. One could argue whether Coates’ pay is justified and a true reflection of the value she added to the company, but that misses the point. It appears to be perfectly legitimate at least from a legal perspective. Coates owns a controlling stake in Bet365, and she can pay herself whatever salary she wants.
‘If anyone is to “blame” for Denise Coates’ pay, it’s the legislator which has allowed gambling to grow into such a big market.’
Colleagues who would like to engage with the media or learn more about media training or the University in the news should contact the Press Office on 3985 or pressoffice@kent.ac.uk