Jessica BirdDenise Coates CBE, chief executive of online gambling firm Bet365, was paid £94.7m in salary in the year to 31st March 2024, according to recently released financial results for the company.
However, with dividends of approximately £63m added to this, Coates’ final package was around £157.7m, maintaining her spot as one of the richest women in the UK.
This was compared to the £220m salary Coates received in the previous financial year.
The financial results showed that Bet365 Group grew from an average of 7,177 employees over the 52 week period ended 26th March 2023, to 8,673 in the 53 weeks to 30th March 2024.
This was a headcount increase of 1,496; however, the overall staff costs – including wages, social security and pension costs – dropped from £785.9m to £660.5m.
The total compensation of the directors and managers considered to be the key management personnel of the group – including salaries and other short-term benefits – was £144.2m, compared to £351.5m in 2023.
The Bet365 report stated: “Employees of the Group are key assets of the business.
“As a Group our policy is to demonstrate that all employees, regardless of role, seniority or where they are located in the world, feel an integral and valued part of our business.
“Employee satisfaction and involvement underpins the success of the business.
“We set high standards and our employees are expected to work to the best of their ability.
“This is reciprocated and reflected in the competitive salaries and extensive benefits packages we aim to offer our staff.
“The Group also places particular emphasis on equal pay for equal jobs and strictly adheres to the UK Modern Slavery Act.
“One of our core objectives is to be the ’employer of choice’ within the local communities within which we operate.
“Salaries and benefits are only part of the broader staff engagement factors.
“We also have a number of employee health and welfare programmes which target both physical and mental wellbeing.
“Our workplaces are, of course, designed to be safe and secure and our facilities and health and safety teams ensure the removal of any risk, albeit our operations are inherently low risk environments.
“The Group also has policies to improve the overall employee experience including food allowances when working from the head office, an additional day off on birthdays as well as the ability to buy or sell holidays.
“The Group has always recognised that staff development and learning is an integral part of the organisation’s strategic planning, equipping all staff with the knowledge and skills to perform their individual jobs effectively and in doing so ensure that the Group meets its strategic objectives.”
