PointsBet has confirmed that three representatives from Japanese company MIXI have joined the Australian bookmaker’s board, while five existing directors have stepped down.
In a statement to the ASX on Monday, PointsBet announced that Sho Okuyama, Kanji Kobayashi, and Taishi Oba were the new members on a board that has undergone a major refresh.
Of the previous PointsBet board only three members remain, with Brett Paton retained as chairman and Sam Swanell still on the board as managing director. Non-executive director Manjit Gombra Singh also stays on.
Becky Harris, Tony Symons, Kosha Gada, Peter McCluskey, and William Grounds have stepped down, effective immediately.
It leaves MIXI, which owns 66.43 per cent of shares, with three directors.
“The board considers Mr Okuyama, Mr Kobayashi and Mr Oba to be non-independent directors, given they are employed by the company’s majority shareholder, MIXI Australia,” the statement said.
“PointsBet welcomes Mr Okuyama, Mr Kobayashi and Mr Oba to the board and is looking forward to working with each incoming director and PointsBet’s major shareholder, MIXI Australia.
Okuyama joined MIXI in 2016 and is the head of the investment and business development department. He is directly managing MIXI’s TIPSTAR business as the head of the social betting department since 2023.
He has also been a director of MIXI Australia since 2024.
Bren O’Brien
Kobayashi, a legal specialist, has spent 18 years with MIXI. He is a senior corporate officer and has also been a director of MIXI Australia.
Oba is a recent recruit to MIXI, having joined in 2024 from previous roles at KPMG Japan and VT Holdings. He has played a key role in MIXI’s overseas business expansion, with a primary focus on Australia and was appointed a director of MIXI Australia earlier this year.
“PointsBet thanks each of the retiring directors for the dedication, service, professionalism, expertise and experience they have contributed individually and collectively to the company, the statement said.
