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Savvy Gaming Group announces three senior hires
- Senior hires have been made across three operating companies: the ecosystem company, the games studios company, and the infrastructure company.
- New hires bring over 40 years of combined industry and business expansion experience to propel SGG in its mission to grow the sector globally.
- SGG is comprised of five operating companies, each of which has a separately defined mandate and set of core objectives.
Savvy Gaming Group (SGG) today announced the appointments of Kadri Harma, Yannick Theler, and Jerry Gamez as operating company CEOs of the games and esports company.
Bringing a wealth of industry experience to the newly formed Savvy Gaming Group, the CEOs will lead Savvy’s ecosystem company, the games studios, and the infrastructure company.
Kadri Harma, CEO of Savvy’s ecosystem company, is an entrepreneur and investor with over 20 years of experience building start-up ecosystems, half of which were spent specialising in the games industry. Building on her track record of creating, launching, and fundraising for four funds across Europe, Asia, and the USA, Harma will lead the Savvy ecosystem company, providing infrastructure, upskilling, network, capital and advisory to promising games start-ups.
“Looking not just at the market size, but the young, creative, and ambitious population, there is huge untapped potential in Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East within the gaming industry.
It is a unique opportunity to connect global partners into the ecosystem and provide support for this talent to flourish both domestically and in the international market.”
Yannick Theler, CEO of Savvy’s games studios company, joins from Ubisoft where he worked for 19 years across Europe, China and the Middle East covering all facets of the company, most notably establishing Ubisoft’s Abu Dhabi studio ten years ago, a studio that is today the home of CSI Hidden Crimes, NCIS Hidden Crimes, Growtopia and Clash of Beasts. At SGG, Theler will lead Savvy’s games studios – a company with the mission to make the most exciting game franchises in the world.
“I’m thrilled to be part of this newly created group that is committed to learning, talent, and fast growth. I’m looking forward to putting my leadership and vision to work with Savvy Games Studios building a global powerhouse of developers and studios that will bring distinct and memorable experiences into the industry, now and in the future”.
Jerry Gamez, CEO of Savvy’s infrastructure company, brings over 20 years of senior executive, entrepreneurial, and direct investment experience. He has worked with global B2B and B2C brands such as Walmart, Restaurant Brands International, as well as various Food/Consumer Technology companies. Joining SGG with a wealth of experience in international development and expansion, Gamez will lead the development and investments in an extensive global footprint of innovative gaming venues.
“I am excited to join a group that is set to make a huge impact across both the region and global industry. Looking at our infrastructure endeavours, I am proud to be leading a company that is focusing on a holistic user experience that will redefine how people come together and experience gaming.”
SGG is 100% owned by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, PIF, and is comprised of five operating companies, each of which has a defined business and strategy. The further two operating companies are the ESL FACEIT Group, led by Craig Levine and Niccolo Maisto as co-CEOs, and the Savvy Games Fund.
Each operating company has a separately defined mandate and set of core objectives which will be further developed as the CEOs continue to hire their teams and develop their company brands.
Brian Ward, Group CEO said:
“At Savvy Gaming Group we are dedicated to driving the growth of the sector globally, leading with significant investment, enabling more game developers and technology innovators, and facilitating broader, more equitable access to this fast-growing, dynamic sector.
In order to achieve this mission, we must bring the best minds to join us, and I am thrilled to be welcoming such accomplished executives to our leadership team. With their wealth of experience and their complementary companies, we will drive long-term growth and development of esports and the wider games industry worldwide.”
On his hiring ambitions, Ward added:
“At Savvy we champion inclusivity and hire the best people. In our industry, despite 46% of gamers being women, only 16% of executives at the top games companies are women. We’re already ahead of this at 20% of our C-suite but our target is much higher – 50%.”

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ELA Games in Rome: Studio to Showcase New Titles & Plans at the SiGMA Europe Summit
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ELA Games is set to attend the SiGMA Europe Summit in Rome from 3 – 6 November. The event gathers global iGaming leaders to discuss innovations, future technologies, and rising companies.
Representing ELA Games will be:
- Yaroslav Soloshenko, Head of Business Development
- Peter Vonarshenko, Senior Business Development Manager
They will reveal the studio’s latest titles, such as the festive Witches’ Book, high-energy Piñatas Festival, and highly successful Buffalo Force, which experienced record growth statistics. Additionally, attendees will get a sneak peek into ELA Games’ upcoming title, Riches Express (30 October release), and other forthcoming plans.
Yaroslav and Peter will also unveil exciting new expansion plans in Greece and what that means for the studio’s future content developments.
Special Panel Appearance
On 4 November (11:30 – 12:10, Stage 3 | Affiliate Leaders), Yaroslav Soloshenko will take part in a special panel discussion titled “Battle for the Bottom Line: Does Product or Marketing Drive Growth?”
The session will bring together leading industry experts, from star streamers to product innovators, to explore the strategies that fuel player acquisition, retention, and revenue. Yaroslav will share his insights on ELA Games’ multifaceted approach to growth, including strategic game development and relevant marketing.
Yaroslav commented, “The conversation around strong product development versus marketing is always evolving. For ELA Games, true growth happens when the two work together. A great product generates stories and memories worth sharing, which is what we try to revolve our marketing strategies around. I look forward to sharing more in-depth insights at my panel discussion at the SiGMA Europe Summit.”
Meet ELA Games in Rome
Attendees can book a 1-on-1 meeting with Yaroslav and Peter to learn more about how diverse content can boost operator growth and keep players engaged for longer.
ELA Games’ standout titles, such as Buffalo Force, have been a driving growth factor, experiencing record engagement metrics in just 3 weeks. Operators can explore the studio’s diverse and ever-growing portfolio to discover more highly engaging content that players love.
Join the team at the SiGMA Europe Summit in Rome from 3 – 6 November.
Secure a meeting now — limited slots available!
The post ELA Games in Rome: Studio to Showcase New Titles & Plans at the SiGMA Europe Summit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Veikkaus Continues Preparations for the Partial Multi-license System Set to Open in 2027
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Veikkaus is continuing its preparations for the partial multi-license system set to open in 2027. The company aims to remain the market leader in the Finnish gambling sector in the coming years.
Veikkaus has been systematically preparing for the future for a long time. Efforts to strengthen the company’s competitiveness are ongoing: Veikkaus will continue to focus on its core business and, through this, ensure growth in gross gaming revenue in a responsible way.
Many gambling companies aiming to enter the Finnish market are actively preparing to challenge Veikkaus when the licensing market opens.
“Competition will certainly be very tough, as many signs already indicate. Veikkaus is a strong company that will succeed in the competition, but as an organization, we must transform to meet the new situation,” said Reija Laaksonen, EVP, People, Culture and Communications at Veikkaus.
As part of the company’s strategy, Veikkaus will initiate change negotiations affecting three different functions. In total, at the time the negotiation proposal was given, 75 Veikkaus employees are within the scope of the negotiations. The planned measures could, if implemented, lead to personnel impacts as defined in Section 16 of the Act on Co-operation within Undertakings, such as redundancies or unilateral changes to essential terms of employment.
According to current estimates, the negotiations may result in the termination of a total of 20–31 employment contracts and substantial changes to the terms of employment for 20–30 employees. At the same time, it is planned that 22–28 new roles and positions will be created within the functions involved in the negotiations.
“When targeting possible measures, Veikkaus will pay particular attention to the requirements of business operations and ensuring competence in line with Veikkaus’ strategy. Any measures will be implemented in accordance with applicable legislation,” said Laaksonen.
The post Veikkaus Continues Preparations for the Partial Multi-license System Set to Open in 2027 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Betsson to Attend SiGMA Central Europe 2025
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Betsson Group is going to participate in SiGMA Central Europe 2025, taking place in Rome, Italy, from 3–6 November. As one of the region’s most awaited iGaming conferences, SiGMA Central Europe brings together top industry leaders to explore new technologies, business opportunities and market trends shaping the future of the industry.
Betsson Group Joins the Stage at SiGMA Central Europe
Two of Betsson Group’s leaders will take the stage to discuss regulated markets, compliance and brand strategy.
4 November | 10:15–10:45 CET
Speaker: Dario Evangelista, Deputy General Counsel, Betsson Group
Panel: Licence to Launch: Winning Strategies for Entering Regulated Markets
This panel will explore key strategies for operators expanding from emerging to regulated markets, focusing on compliance, customer protection and cultural adaptation.
4 November | 13:20–13:35 CET
Speaker:Ronni Hartvig, Chief Commercial Officer, Betsson Group
Keynote: Global Power, Local Passion: Evolving Betsson’s Brand for a Regulated World
Ronni will discuss how Betsson Group has evolved its global strategy – rebranding, navigating regulation and uniting multiple brands under one identity while maintaining local relevance.
The post Betsson to Attend SiGMA Central Europe 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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