Warren Banks, the managing director of Novomatic’s AGI Africa, has died suddenly at the age of 50.
“Warren Banks was an iconic figure in the African gaming industry,” the company said in a statement yesterday. “He was a superbly professional gaming industry executive and a man with a warm heart and a huge presence.”
With a long and successful career in the gaming industry already established, Warren joined Novomatic in 2000 and was instrumental in setting up, leading and directing the expansion of AGI Africa, the group’s subsidiary of Austrian Gaming Industries.
In his private life Warren was father to two sons, Wade (22) and Cavin (19), of whom he was enormously proud, a keen golfer, a passionate rugby supporter and a dedicated fitness enthusiast. At the time of his death he was planning to run the Comrades Marathon in his beloved South Africa.
Colleagues at AGI Africa described Warren Banks as a “fantastic leader, a friend to everyone and an inspirational figure who has been taken all too soon.”
Jens Halle, managing director of AGI, said: “We are all in shock at the untimely passing of our friend and colleague Warren. Our sympathies go out to his family, friends and industry colleagues. Warren’s loss is hard to bear but we will strive to bring to reality the business objectives that he was already planning and hope that they will stand as a fitting memorial to a true friend and professional colleague.”
