With comings and goings commonplace across the industry, Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Octoplay and Konami are among those to have seen changes to their teams this week.
Octoplay
Octoplay has appointed Gavin Hamilton as Chair, subject to regulatory approval.
Hamilton brings industry experience to the online casino slots development company, as he was previously CEO of Red Tiger, as well as COO of NetEnt and Commercial Director at Evolution.
Carl Ejlertsson, CEO of Octoplay, stated: “As we embark on a transformative journey in 2024, Octoplay is poised for a pivotal year. Gavin’s invaluable experience in navigating the intricacies of scaling a business into diverse regulated markets will undoubtedly expedite our development.”
Octoplay has noted that Hamilton’s appointment will help the company as it continues to grow in the US market.
Hamilton added: “I am thrilled to be joining Octoplay as Chairman. I am impressed by what they have achieved in such a short period and am excited to be part of the delivery of the strategy going forward.
“For Octoplay to have already secured partnerships with most of the world’s largest operators is a significant endorsement of their commitment to product excellence and innovation.”
Konami
Konami Gaming has named Stephanie Lau as Vice President of Sales Enablement & Gaming Operations.
For 19 years, Lau has worked for major operators such as Station Casinos and MGM Resorts International across operations, finance, and analytics, spanning tribal and commercial, local and resort.
At Konami, Lau will be in charge of the company’s business operations, sales operations, and data analytics divisions.
“With nearly 20 years of distinguished experience in the gaming industry, Stephanie is bringing an important operator focus and data-driven approach to this key appointment,” commented Jay Bertsch, SVP and CCO at Konami Gaming.
“She has demonstrated an ability to drive exceptional results through gaming analytics, market strategy, product positioning, and customer engagement, which we look forward to sharing with the valued casinos we serve.”
LOTBA
Jesús Acevedo has been named by the Executive of the City of Buenos Aires as the next President of the Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires.
Sanctioned by Jorge Macri, the City Governor of Buenos Aires, Acevedo will succeed Martín García Santillán as President of LOTBA.
He has previously served within former President Mauricio Macri‘s Argentina PRO cabinet as the Secretary of Institutional Management and has also been Secretary General of International Affairs for River Plate FC.
At LOTBA, Acevedo will be in charge of operating the municipal lottery of Buenos Aires as well as serving as the licensing authority for Buenos Aires City gambling licences.
MGCB
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has reappointed Joni M Thrower Davis and Andrew T Palms to the Michigan Gaming Control Board.
With both terms set to expire on December 31, 2027, Davis is reappointed for her second four-year term since joining the MGCB in 2019, while Palms begins his 12th year as a board member.
“I appreciate Governor Whitmer’s decision to reappoint Joni and Andrew to the Board, which is well-deserved recognition of their dedication, expertise, and valuable contributions to our agency’s mission and vision,” stated MGCB Executive Director Henry Williams.
“I am confident that the reappointment of these Board members will ensure continued stability, effective decision-making, and the ability to navigate the ever-changing landscape of Michigan’s gaming industry, and I look forward to continuing our work together for the citizens of this great state.”
Thunderkick
Thunderkick has appointed Svante Sahlström as Chief Commercial Officer.
With over a decade of experience, Sahlström was previously Head of New Markets for ELK Studios and has held other C-level positions within the industry.
He has also worked for six years within the igaming payments space with businesses such as Zimpler and Trustly.
Sahlström commented: “It’s an honour to be joining Thunderkick as its Chief Commercial Officer at such a pivotal and exciting time for the company, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute to its mission.
“I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running, especially with ICE just around the corner, and focusing on delivering best-in-class customer service that I believe will set us apart from other providers.
“This year is set to be full of substantial growth and success for Thunderkick, and I’m excited to help drive that.”
As Chief Commercial Officer, Sahlström will be responsible for directing Thunderkick’s new market entry strategy, as well as manage partnership and growth development in existing markets.
Sven Grip, Chief Executive Officer at Thunderkick, added: “Svante is a fantastic addition to the team, especially as Chief Commercial Officer. His depth of knowledge and experience is sure to guide our journey into new markets and expansion within others.
“He joins Thunderkick at an extremely exciting time, with entry into Ontario on the horizon alongside substantial growth worldwide. We’re in a fantastic position to keep rising, and Svante is sure to play a pivotal part in taking us to the next level.”
Stakelogic
Stakelogic has added Edgars Isajevs as its new Head of Live Casino.
As Head of Live Casino, Isajevs will be tasked with developing Stakelogic’s live casino offering in terms of technology and organisational efficiency.
“After talking with Edgars for 10 minutes, I knew he would be perfect to lead Stakelogic Live,” stated Stephan van den Oetelaar, CEO at Stakelogic.
“His passion for our industry in combination with his profound knowledge of live casino operations make Edgars the perfect executive to strengthen our management team.”
Isajevs brings over a decade of live casino experience to Stakelogic, having held key live casino operational and technology positions at the likes of Evolution, Pragmatic Play and Winfinity.
Isajevs added “I am very excited to start with Stakelogic Live. To me, Stakelogic Live, certainly at this moment, is the most innovative game supplier in the industry. Especially their revolutionary ideas about innovating Live Casino appeal to me.”
