SiGMA congratulates the industry’s star moves of the week.

Citizen appoints Toby Sucharov as CTO

iGaming industry payment provider Citizen has appointed Toby Sucharov as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Dr. Sucharov boasts a wealth of iGaming experience, having previously served as Playtech’s Head of UK Innovation and Head of Games Platform. His expertise lies in successfully scaling up technology products to cater fast-moving iGaming businesses worldwide.

In his role as CTO, Dr. Sucharov will utilize his skills to introduce and optimize Citizen’s account-to-account payment solution across various sectors and geographical regions.

Speaking about the payment provider, Dr. Sucharov highlighted Citizen’s solid product and track record  with immense benefits for numerous industries. He eagerly anticipates assisting the company through its accelerator phase of growth and is enthusiastic about playing a pivotal role in its upcoming development.

Having previously contributed to Playtech’s remarkable success as the architect behind the ‘Games Platform as a Service’, which processed tens of billions of transactions annually, Dr. Sucharov brings invaluable expertise to Citizen. He also boasts experience from his tenure at William Hill, where he worked on automated sports pricing systems.

Dr. Sucharov said he recognizes the potential of Citizen’s payment solution, especially its capacity to link users to their bank accounts and verify ownership through multi-factor authentication. He believes this added feature will revolutionize industries susceptible to fraud or necessitating stringent ‘know-your-customer’ (KYC) requirements.

The appointment of Dr. Sucharov follows other strategic senior hires at Citizen, including the recent addition of Sarah Ahle as Head of Compliance. With a strong leadership team in place, James Neville, co-founder, and CEO of Citizen, expresses confidence in the company’s growth prospects for the latter half of 2023. Leveraging Toby Sucharov’s rich experience in the iGaming sector and scaling technology solutions, Citizen aims to streamline payment processes and implement innovations in alternative payment methods.

Per Winderstrom is the new CEO of 888

Shares of 888 have surged by 5 percent during early trading following the appointment of Per Widerstr?m as the company’s new CEO. The appointment is effective from 16 October. Widerstr?m brings over 17 years experience in the online gaming industry and will join 888 from private equity investor Nordic Capital, where he held the position of operating chair and industrial adviser.

His recent role was as CEO of Fortuna Entertainment Group, a leading omni-channel betting and gaming business operating across Central and Eastern Europe from 2014 to 2022. Before that, he held various high-level positions at well-known online gaming companies since 2006, including Gala Interactive within the Gala Coral Group and Bwin, where he served as chief operating officer and later as chief integration officer.

Widerstr?m currently holds a non-executive board position at Catena Media and chairs Casumo’s board of directors, among other board roles in the financial and technology sectors. 888’s executive chair, Lord Mendelsohn, expressed delight at Widerstr?m’s appointment, highlighting his extensive experience and proven ability to execute value creation plans. Widerstr?m’s appointment comes after an extensive search process, and he is seen as the ideal candidate to lead 888 towards further expansion and value creation as an international multi-brand operator.

In response to his appointment, Widerstr?m acknowledge 888’s strong portfolio of brands, cutting-edge technology platform, and exceptional team, positioning the company as a global industry leader. He looks forward to working with the team to leverage the company’s potential for progress and success. Upon Widerstr?m’s arrival in autumn, Lord Mendelsohn will return to the role of non-executive chair.

888 had been searching for a new CEO since Itai Pazner’s departure in January due to an internal compliance investigation revealing failures to adhere to KYC and AML protocols for VIP customers in the Middle East. Earlier this month, the company terminated discussions with FS Gaming Investments over the proposal to appoint former GVC boss Kenny Alexander as the new CEO. As of now, 888 Holdings plc (888.L) is trading at GBp110.50 (+2.31 percent).

Fanatics announces the appointment of Parag Agrawal as CIO

Sports merchandising company Fanatics, has appointed Parag Agrawal as the new Chief Information Officer (CIO). Agrawal’s responsibilities encompass leading a digital transformation of the company’s internal systems, including accounting, human resources, and financial planning and analysis. Additionally, he is tasked with developing a dedicated IT infrastructure for Fanatics Holdings, Inc., the corporate entity of the organization.

Agrawal’s strategic impact on Fanatics Betting & Gaming, another segment of the company, remains to be seen. However, he is expected to collaborate with the firm’s business segments to enhance global IT capabilities across the enterprise. Reporting directly to Fanatics’ Executive Vice President and CFO, Glenn Schiffman, Agrawal’s expertise and experience are seen as critical in adopting cutting-edge solutions and driving further growth for the organization.

Before joining Fanatics, Agrawal spent nine years at Chobani, where he held various roles, culminating in the position of CIO. He is credited with initiating a successful overhaul of Chobani’s software platforms during a period of impressive growth for the company. Agrawal’s professional background also includes leadership and technical roles at several top-notch corporates.

Agrawal, holds an MBA in Innovation and Technology Management from Pacific Lutheran University and a B-Tech from the National Institute of Technology in India. He will be based at Fanatics’ new headquarters in New York City.

Robert Wesley heads to Neogames as VP of North American Customer Development

ormer deputy executive director of the Virginia Lottery, Robert Wesley, has been welcomed as the new Vice President of North American Customer Development at NeoGames, the online lottery and iGaming solutions provider. Wesley’s illustrious 25-year tenure at the Virginia Lottery encompassed diverse key roles, culminating in his post as deputy executive director of lottery from May 2022 to July 2023.

NeoGames notes Wesley’s instrumental role in propelling Virginia’s iLottery programme to become the top-performing US online lottery within just three years of launch. Virginia’s overall lottery sales surged by 23 percent in the latest fiscal year, showcasing his impact. Leveraging his extensive experience, Wesley’s new role will see him assisting other North American lotteries in enhancing their interactive offerings.

NeoGames CEO Moti Malul expressed enthusiasm for Wesley’s appointment, recognizing his significant contributions to iLottery growth. Wesley’s arrival aligns with NeoGames’ commitment to drive customers’ achievements, cementing its industry leadership in iLottery. Wesley himself is excited to collaborate with NeoGames’ impressive portfolio of lottery partners, acknowledging the rapid growth of the North American iLottery market and NeoGames’ pivotal position in supporting enhanced interactive gaming experiences. NeoGames S.A. (NGMS) is trading at $27.13 (-0.40%).