Jim Ryan may yet go down as the most popular of PartyGaming’s three chief executives. While both his predecessors were – rather unfairly – perceived to be out to make as much money for themselves as they could in as short a time as possible, Mr Ryan appears to be determined to build a business to the long-term benefit of all stakeholders.

The share price has fallen sharply since the announcement in May of his appointment, in line with the wider market malaise, but Mr Ryan has outlined a robust and coherent strategy aimed at improving the quality of the experience to punters while at the same time boosting the group’s growth prospects.

His predecessors found it hard to adjust to living in Gibraltar, where the company is based. Yet Mr Ryan, 47, did not have far to go when he took up the reins at the beginning of July, as the offices of his previous employer – St Minver – another gaming business, were less than 400 yards away from PartyGaming’s group headquarters.

The Canadian has spent more than 20 years in the technology and gaming arena. Before becoming chief executive of St Minver, he floated Excapsa Software, an interactive gaming software company, on AIM and was chief financial officer of CryptoLogic, another quoted internet gaming software company.

He gained a first-class degree in business at Brock University, Ontario, before going on to join Deloitte Haskins & Sells, the accountancy firm. In 1985 he duly qualified as a chartered accountant with the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants.

His CV also includes spells as chief financial officer of Procuron and SXC Health Solutions, president of business development at Metcan Information Technologies and vice-president and chief financial officer of Epson Canada.

The married father-of-three says that his only interests are “my kids and playing online poker” and that he is “a not very exciting character”.

While Mr Ryan stands to earn rather less than his two predecessors, he will not do too badly. In addition to his £500,000 salary, he stands to pick up 1.5 million free shares over the course of the next 4½ years. At last night’s close of 95p, those shares are worth £1.43 million, but when the final tranche vests in 2013, by which time many experts believe that the American ban on internet gambling may have been lifted, they could be worth significantly more.