Scientific Games taps David Smail as Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer

Most recently, Smail was Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Morgans Hotel Group Co., where he served as chief legal officer of the hospitality company from 2006 to 2014.  Previously, he was Executive Vice President and Group General Counsel at Havas S.A., a French-based global advertising and communications services company following a progressive legal career at the international law firm Hogan Lovells in their Paris and Washington, D.C. offices, most recently as Partner in their Washington, D.C. office.

Gavin Isaacs, Scientific Games' President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "With more than 20 years of leadership and accomplishments in international business and the legal profession, David's broad-based global legal and public company expertise and dynamic leadership in support of business objectives, aligns well with our growth strategy. David will be an excellent addition who will further strengthen and complement our talented management team."

Smail succeeds Katie Lever, the Company's Executive Vice President and General Counsel, who will remain with Scientific Games until August 31, 2015 to facilitate the transition.

Isaacs added, "I would like to thank Katie for her outstanding dedication and passion over the last several years as we navigated several significant mergers and complex business transactions. Katie has built an exceptional legal organization, and we wish her the best as she moves on to pursue other professional and personal interests, including a passion for philanthropy."

Smail received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1991 and his B.A. summa cum laude in Biology and French from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. in 1987.