In a statement from the company, Sascha Blodau, UK General Manager for the Gauselmann Group said: “It is with regret that we announce Simon’s departure after a successful and transformative five and a half years with the company. Under his guidance the manufacturing division has seen continued growth across all areas of the UK business and has cemented the Gauselmann product line as the leading brand in the UK market. We would like to thank Simon for his efforts during his time with Blueprint and wish him our very best.”

On his exit, Barff commented: “I have had a great time working with the board of the Gauselmann Group, without whose support the success we achieved would have been impossible. I would like to thank everyone at Gauselmann for all the assistance and support they have given me, and I wish them every future success.”

In the wake of the departure, Blueprint Operations is delighted to announce the appointment of the hugely respected industry figure, David Purvis, who will assume responsibility for all business activities with immediate effect.

David brings a wealth of knowledge and experience from a long and successful career across the various international gambling markets, previously holding MD and CEO positions with some of the gambling industry’s leading players. More recently David has been working closely with the Gauselmann Group on several management consultation projects.

Purvis commented: “The opportunity to carry on the great work at Blueprint Operations is an exciting challenge and it is something that I’m really looking forward to. The foundations of the company are firmly set, so we’ll be looking to build on the recent successes and solidify our market position with some fantastic new game releases and further product developments over the coming year.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Blueprint team for welcoming me to the company and continuing to work seamlessly during this management restructure.”

In a final comment Blodau added: “The next chapter for Blueprint Operations is now in the hands of David and we couldn’t be more excited.”