Web gambling firm Betfair has appointed former Vodafone chief technology officer Tony McAlister as its CTO after a six-month search.

McAlister will oversee 300 staff in Betfair's global engineering unit, and is charged with driving innovation and improving customer experience. He takes up the reins in the new year.

McAlistair worked at Vodafone between 2001 and 2005, subsequently moving to mobile content management firm Motricity.

"We are delighted to welcome such an experienced and capable CTO to Betfair. I have no doubt that he is the right person to lead our technology strategy, innovation and delivery into the next chapter of our corporate development," said David Yu, chief executive at Betfair.

McAlister added: "Betfair has demonstrated its ability to turn technology into a strategic business advantage. I look forward to building on this success in my new role working with a talented global team."

Betfair's previous CTO, Rory Devine, departed in May 2008.