Profile: Onto a winner - David Briggs, Commercial director, Ladbrokes e-gaming.

One of the driving forces behind Europe's first mass-market online poker service, David Briggs has been known to shatter his friends' illusions when he takes his own seat at the poker table. 'They expect me to be the hustler and are left sorely disappointed,' he says.

Briggs, 34, has risen quickly through the ranks at one of the UK's biggest bookmakers since arriving six years ago from Barclays.

Following his promotion from a business development role last year, he now leads the e-gaming division, with full responsibility for marketing.

Ladbrokes' plans to become the internet's leading gambling and gaming operator were the main attraction for Briggs. There …