Edward Wray
Edward Wray, the visionary who co-founded Betfair and cemented his place as a pioneer in the iGaming world, has continued to build an impressive portfolio spanning the financial technology sector, investment, and charitable endeavors following his departure from the betting exchange in 2012. Wray’s journey from revolutionizing global exchange betting to holding key leadership roles in major FinTech firms and charitable trusts underscores a deep commitment to innovation and social impact.
Bio
Betfair – Revolutionizing the Betting Industry
Wray’s most widely recognized contribution to the iGaming landscape is his role as the Co-founder & Chairman of Betfair Group plc, a position he held from August 1999 to March 2012, a tenure of over 12 years. He was the company’s first Chief Executive and was responsible for establishing the business in Australia before becoming Chairman in 2006. His leadership was integral to the company’s growth, culminating in its successful flotation on the London Stock Exchange in October 2010, where it was valued at £1.4 billion. Wray’s entrepreneurial success in this venture was formally recognized when he was twice named Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
Transition to FinTech Directorships and Investment
Following his stepping down from his role as Chairman of Betfair in 2012, Wray transitioned his expertise in high-growth, disruptive business models into the burgeoning FinTech sector, continuing to invest in FinTechs. His current and past directorships highlight a focused investment strategy in companies that leverage technology to transform financial services.
His longest-standing post-Betfair directorship is at LMAX Group, where he has served as a Director since 2010. LMAX Group is an FCA-regulated MTF for global FX Trading, focused on transforming global FX trading with precise, consistent, and reliable FX trade execution, deep liquidity, and a scalable matching engine. Since August 2015, Wray has also been a Director at Prodigy Finance, which provides student loans to top international schools and offers investment opportunities in future business leaders.
In the past, Wray held directorships at several other influential FinTech platforms: Funding Circle (2011 – May 2021), a business financing company that assists small business development, and Property Partner (April 2015 – September 2021), a residential property crowdfunding platform.
Expanding the Focus to Philanthropy
Concurrently with his FinTech roles, Edward Wray maintains a strong dedication to the charitable sector, focusing on youth development and mental health initiatives, serving as an active angel investor. He has served as Chair Of The Board Of Trustees at the Coach Core Foundation since April 2020.
Wray is also deeply involved with Mental Health Innovations, where he has been a Member Board of Trustees since February 2025 and previously served as Chair Of The Board Of Trustees from November 2017 to February 2025. His prior trustee roles include serving at The Mix Charity from September 2014 to January 2021 and Nesta from 2014 to December 2019. Additionally, he serves as Chair of the Development Board of the charity YouthNet.
Educational and Early Career Background
Wray’s background is rooted in strong academic achievement, holding an MA in Engineering, Economics & Management from the University of Oxford, where he studied from 1987 to 1991. Prior to his entrepreneurial leap with Betfair, he gained significant financial experience working for J.P. Morgan as a Vice President, Debt Capital Markets from October 1991 to March 1999.