About Us

Founded by Senior Executives with extensive experience within the online gaming and wagering industry, Sporting Data is a specialist service provider offering a wide range of products and services. Our management team have held senior positions in leading global organisations, including publicly-traded companies.

Sporting Data offers complete technology services, risk management and marketing for the online wagering and gaming sector.

Our Management Team

Shari Read, Executive Director
With over 30 years of experience in the wagering industry, Shari has extensive experience in all aspects of the successful management of a wagering enterprise. Shari has been core to the establishment and successful growth of a number of organizations, including the Mark Read portfolio of companies.

In 1996, Shari joined her husband Mark Read in the start-up Darwin All Sports, by taking the role of General Manager until late 1999 when Darwin All Sports was incorporated into the public company, International All Sports Limited. Subsequently, Shari held the role of Head of Administration for International All Sports until its sale in 2009.

Shari is now the Executive Director of Sporting Data.

Alex Read, Joint Chief Operating Officer
With over 15 years in the gambling industry, Alex has extensive experience in all aspects of the successful management and direction of a wagering enterprise.

With particular expertise in customer acquisition and life-cycle management, website and product development, player treasury and funds mangement, to identifying and developing commercial opportunities arising from investments in the gambling space.

A graduate with a Marketing Diploma, Alex joined Read Technologies in 1996, in the position of NSW Sales Manager, to bring the live broadcast of racing information via satellite technologies to hundreds of Pub, Club and TAB venues across NSW.

In 1998, Alex was granted a bookmaking licence in NSW, and operated a horse racing and sports bookmaking service on-track.

In 2001, he joined the then ASX-listed International All Sports Limited (IASbet.com), established the company's marketing department and headed up Australia's first bookmaking affiliate program, he was subsequently appointed Head of Business Development. In 2008, Alex was appointed Joint Chief Operating Officer of International All Sports, and continued in this role until International All Sports sold to Paddy Power Plc's Australian subsidiary Sportsbet.com in 2009.

Today, as Joint Chief Operating Officer of Sporting Data, Alex provides services to various eCommerce companies in Australia, Asia, Europe, and South Africa.

Julia van Heerden, Joint Chief Operating Officer
Julia has over 12 years of experience in the eCommerce industry with 8 years specializing in online gaming and wagering industry.

Julia has extensive experience in corporate strategy and financial modelling; acquisition, conversion, and retention marketing; gambling juridisction compliance; as well as in the operational management of IT operations and development.

Julia has held a number of senior positions at global organisation, including having headed up Retention Marketing for the Poker division at Osiris Trading (operators of the Fortune Lounge Online Gaming Group). During her time with Fortune Lounge, she was extensively involved in client retention management and revenue optimisation for the group which comprised of eight online Casinos and three Poker Rooms.

Prior to joining Osiris Trading, Julia held positions as Account Director at Espial (one of South Africa's foremost strategic design and implementation consultancies), editor-in-chief of the myneweconomy.com News Portal and Television Series and led the marketing strategy for Packard Bell NEC computers in South Africa.

In 2008, Julia was appointed Joint Chief Operating Officer of the ASX-listed company International All Sports Limited, and continued in this role until International All Sports sold to Paddy Power Plc's Australian subsidiary, Sportsbet.com, in 2009.

Today, as Joint Chief Operating Officer of Sporting Data, Julia provides services to various eCommerce companies in Australia, Asia, Europe, and South Africa.

Julia holds an Honours degree in Information Technology from the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

Nicholas Read, Head of Proprietary Investments
Nicholas' wagering experience began on Sydney racetracks in 1992 working part-time supporting his father Mark Read's bookmaking activities whilst attending Sydney University.

In 1998, Nicholas joined Darwin All Sports as Senior Horse Racing Analyst and Trader. When International All Sports was listed in late 1999, Nicholas was promoted to Australian Horse Racing Manager with the responsibility of managing the Australian racing product and key financial metrics in addition to trading duties.

In early 2004, Nicholas was assigned to Melbourne at International All Sports' administrative headquarters in the position of Head of Wagering, to oversee the organization's Horse Racing division, and to develop the company's Australian racing wagering investment programme. In addition to overseeing trading functions, he trained traders in investment methodologies, in the use and maintenance of the company's extensive horse racing databases, and in the development of online horse racing products and services.

Nicholas continued his role in Wagering Services until the sale of International All Sports in 2009, and now holds the position of Head of Proprietary Investments at Sporting Data.

Xavier Read, Head of Wagering
During the course of his tertiary studies, Xavier worked part-time on Sydney race tracks to gain invaluable experience in the bookmaking industry. In 2004, Xavier joined International All Sports in the role of Junior Analyst and Assistant Trader to Mark Read on Victorian racing. Within twelve months he qualified as a Senior Trader and assumed responsibility of the trading performance for his team.

In 2006, Xavier was promoted to Head of Sports at International All Sports with the responsibility of operational management of the sports trading team, including being extensively involved in the development of core system improvements.

In early 2007, Xavier was key to the launch and growth of Canbet's revolutionary soccer product, which offers players more than 500 live "in play" markets each week. By the end of 2007, this business had grown to turnover A$20 million per month.

In November 2007, Xavier was assigned to the International All Sport's London office as Head of Sport and UK Operations to facilitate the further development of Canbet. In early 2009 Xavier returned to Australia to further grow and manage the Australian-based trading team, whilst still managing the UK trading staff remotely.

Xavier continued his role in Wagering Services until the sale of International All Sports in 2009, and now holds the position of Head of Wagering at Sporting Data.

Xavier holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.