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UK’s Paysafe Group Appoints Philip McHugh as CEO
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Paysafe Group, a leading global payments provider, announced the appointment of Philip McHugh as its CEO, effective June 24, 2019. McHugh replaces Joel Leonoff who is taking up a new position as Vice Chairman of the Company’s Board of Directors.
McHugh, who will also sit on the Paysafe Board, brings extensive experience of the global banking and payments industries to the role, and an executive leadership career spanning more than 20 years. He joins Paysafe from TSYS, a leading global payments provider, where he was responsible for heading up their merchant solutions division. During his tenure in the position, McHugh played an instrumental role in growing TSYS’ revenues and profits by over 30%.
Prior to TSYS, McHugh worked for Barclays in London where he was Global CFO of Barclaycard and CEO of Barclaycard Business Solutions. During his time with Barclaycard, he was part of the leadership team that more than doubled the size of the business over a five-year period through the implementation of various strategic growth initiatives.ⁱ
Stuart C. Harvey, Jr, Chairman of the Paysafe Board of Directors, commented: “We are delighted that somebody of Philip’s caliber has accepted the role of CEO for Paysafe. His relentless focus on serving the customer, and his proven ability to drive operational excellence within complex financial organizations, has led to strong results throughout his career. This track record combined with his visionary approach will be invaluable as we advance the Company’s corporate strategy.”
Philip McHugh added: “I am truly honored to become part of the Paysafe story. Paysafe has built an incredibly unique payments business that is scaled, diverse, highly specialized and frankly hard to beat. The opportunity to continue to invest in, and leverage Paysafe’s differentiated payments assets, as well as identify new areas of growth while working with a highly focused and energized team, is a very exciting one. I look forward to meeting the team and helping to take Paysafe to the next level of growth and scale.”
Meanwhile, in his new role as Vice Chairman of the Company’s Board, Leonoff will continue to be closely involved in the development of Paysafe’s corporate strategy. Leonoff founded Paysafe, originally Optimal Payments, in 1997 and has held the position of President and CEO since 2008. During his tenure as CEO, Paysafe has delivered consistent top and bottom-line growth and successfully introduced innovative new payments solutions to the marketplace including its range of digital wallets and online cash solutions. In 2018 it achieved record global transactional volumes of US $85bn.
Stuart Harvey added: “Joel is a true entrepreneur and has taken this business from humble beginnings as a Canadian start-up to a global payments provider serving millions of merchants and consumers around the world. We would like to thank him for his terrific contribution over the years and we look forward to continuing to work closely with him as Vice Chairman of our Board.”
Joel Leonoff said: “I congratulate Philip on his appointment and look forward to working with him on the transition. I am confident that under his leadership Paysafe will continue to prosper long into the future. It has been an incredible honor to lead Paysafe and I am very grateful for the commitment and hard work of our people and their passion for creating a truly pioneering payments company.”
About the Paysafe Group:
Paysafe Group (Paysafe) is a leading global provider of end-to-end payment solutions. Its core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers to connect and transact seamlessly through industry-leading capabilities in payment processing, digital wallet, card issuing and online cash solutions.
With over 20 years of online payment experience, an annualized transactional volume of over U.S. $85 billion, and approximately 3,000 employees located in 12+ global locations, Paysafe connects businesses and consumers across 200 payment types in over 40 currencies around the world.
Delivered through an integrated platform, Paysafe solutions are geared toward mobile-initiated transactions, real-time analytics and the convergence between brick-and-mortar and online payments.
Visit www.paysafe.com.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: UK’s Paysafe Group Appoints Philip McHugh as CEO

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SKINBARON SUPPORTS GERMAN ESPORTS AND EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG
SkinBaron remains a loyal partner to BIG and supports German esports across the Academy and women’s segments.
Berlin, September 11, 2025 – Berlin International Gaming (BIG) and SkinBaron have been closely connected since late 2019 and are now extending their partnership, continuing a success story that spans more than six years.
At a time when the Counter-Strike community, and in particular BIG’s CS2 men’s team, has experienced a challenging year, this extension sends an important signal: SkinBaron remains a loyal companion through every high and low. In addition to the pro team, SkinBaron also supports BIG’s Academy and women’s teams, helping to develop young talent and strengthen the scene in Germany.
Beyond the server, SkinBaron is deeply connected with the community. At the BIG Overtime Party during IEM Cologne 2025, SkinBaron once again served as an event partner, showcasing its close ties to the German esports community.
Statement from Daniel Finkler, CEO, Berlin International Gaming
“I am incredibly pleased and grateful that we are extending our long-standing partnership with SkinBaron. SkinBaron has been a vital part of our journey for over six years, both during successful and challenging times. My special thanks go to Tobias Andro as the new CEO, as well as to Florian Eckstein, Tobias Herberhold, Hannes Scholdz, and all other shareholders, employees, and partners at SkinBaron. They have brought this partnership to life over the years and actively shaped it. We are proud to move into the future together with such a loyal and authentic partner.”
Statement from Tobias Andro, CEO, SkinBaron
“Our partnership with BIG has stood for loyalty, trust, and collaboration on equal footing for over six years. Together, we share a vision of sustainably supporting the German esports scene and helping talent reach the top. This extension is therefore not only a commitment to our shared past, but above all a fresh start toward a future we want to shape side by side.”
The post SKINBARON SUPPORTS GERMAN ESPORTS AND EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH BIG appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Answer the Call of the Wild: ELA Games Unveils Its Latest Game “Buffalo Force”
The studio’s latest game blends nostalgic themes and engaging features
The vast plains are alive with the sound of rampant hooves, the roar of predators, and helpful animals along the way. ELA Games proudly presents its latest release, Buffalo Force, an energetic game that celebrates the sheer power of nature.
The Call of the Wild
In Buffalo Force, players roam alongside fearsome buffalo, fierce bears, cunning wolves, and soaring eagles as they work together to hunt for big rewards. The game features 3 energetic mechanics:
- Free Spins: Land 3 Scatter symbols to enter the game’s primary bonus feature. All Wilds pay 2x here.
- Hold & Win Bonus: Unlock this lucrative feature for a shot at powerful coin prizes and even a chance at one of the mighty jackpots!
- Jackpot: Three jackpots give you the chance for mega wins: Minor (25x), Major (100x), and Grand (1000x).
Each spin holds the spirit of the wilderness, blending high-action gameplay with the studio’s signature visually-rich aesthetics.
Join the Herd
Buffalo Force combines visually stunning animations, high-performance mechanics, and well-crafted environmental design to transport players to the heart of the North American wilderness. The studio’s attention to detail and storytelling prowess immerses players as they become part of the stampede, on the hunt for wild riches.
Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented on the release, “Buffalo Force represents the studio’s passion for creating visually striking and memorable games that players love. We focused a lot on the game’s visuals and environmental design to immerse players in the North American wild, which helps create an emotional connection and encourages high-performance engagement. We’re excited to see the reception Buffalo Force will receive, and we have many more exciting games in the works!”
Will You Answer the Call?
The raw wilderness is waiting for you. Will you join the herd and hunt for your fortunes and a life of freedom?
The post Answer the Call of the Wild: ELA Games Unveils Its Latest Game “Buffalo Force” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Kongebonus statement: Norway’s election result signals gambling policy continuity, but licensing debate is set to intensify
With the centre-left retaining a narrow majority, Norway’s gambling framework is set to remain largely unchanged in the near term.
Norsk Tipping’s monopoly will continue, and enforcement tools such as payment and DNS blocking of unregulated operators are likely to remain in focus. While a shift to a licensing model appears unlikely this parliamentary term, the Progress Party’s stronger position as the main opposition keeps the reform debate active.
For industry stakeholders, the sensible course is to concentrate on compliant, sustainable strategies and to track policy signals closely as the debate continues.
The post Kongebonus statement: Norway’s election result signals gambling policy continuity, but licensing debate is set to intensify appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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