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International Entertainment Corp (IEC) operates LaVie Resort & Casino and New Coast Hotel Manila in the Philippines and has announced that it appointed a senior figure in the global gambling industry to the company’s board of directors in an independent non-executive capacity. He assumed the position in place of Cheng Hong Wai, who had resigned from his position. This appointment is coming at a time of great change and significance for IEC, with the Philippines eGames powerhouse DigiPlus in the midst of acquiring a majority stake in IEC.
Mattingley, aged 74, brings a long track record from some of the industry’s best-known names. He was most recently a non-executive chairman of Playtech PLC from April 2021 until he resigned from his position in May of last year. He was also CEO of 888 Holdings PLC, rebranded to Evoke, from February 2011 to March 2015, and later executive chairman from March 2021 until he resigned from his position in March of last year.
Terms of Appointment and Committee Roles
According to IEC’s disclosure, Mattingley has signed a letter of appointment for an initial 3-year term starting 23 March 2026. His remuneration for the year will be fixed at US$80,000. He will also be a member of three key board committees: the Audit Committee, the Nomination Committee, and the Remuneration Committee. That positioning gives him direct input into oversight, governance, and senior leadership matters as IEC transitions under new majority control.
The company framed the appointment as part of strengthening its leadership bench in anticipation of DigiPlus’ entry as the controlling shareholder. With Mattingley taking over the seat vacated by Cheng Hong Wai, the board maintains its structure while layering in a profile familiar to global investors and partners in the gaming and iGaming sectors.
DigiPlus Builds Toward Majority Stake in IEC
Mattingley’s appointment lands while DigiPlus is steadily moving toward majority ownership of IEC. Earlier this month, IEC issued a first tranche of subscription notes worth HK$800 million (US$102.5 million) to DigiPlus under a subscription deal signed in November. That agreement gives DigiPlus the path to assume a controlling interest in IEC and its main asset, the rebranded LaVie Resort & Casino in Manila.
Upon the full issue and conversion of the HK$1.6 billion (US$205 million) in subscription notes, DigiPlus will own 53.89% of the outstanding shares of IEC. As the company has previously stated, the acquisition of a stake in a land-based casino resort is designed to complement the company’s omnichannel strategy. The acquisition of a physical channel will enable the company to integrate the physical and digital channels more effectively and thereby enhance the brand activity and the gaming and non-gaming experience for customers.
Omnichannel Ambitions Behind Board Reshuffle
IEC’s decision to bring Mattingley on board aligns with DigiPlus’ stated ambition of building an “omnipresent entertainment ecosystem” anchored in both on-ground and digital operations. The LaVie Resort & Casino, through New Coast Hotel Manila, provides that strategic offline anchor for the Philippines market, while DigiPlus’ eGames presence supplies the online reach.
With Mattingley seated as an independent non-executive director and embedded in core board committees, IEC gains a figure who has navigated major corporate transitions at 888 and Playtech, from leadership reshuffles to shifting business mixes between land-based partners and online platforms. As DigiPlus inches toward its 53.89% stake through the full HK$1.6 billion subscription, his role will sit at the intersection of governance, strategy, and the integration of IEC into DigiPlus’ broader gaming ecosystem.
Source: Inside Asian Gaming
