NuxGame has appointed Mariia Baranova as its new Chief Operating Officer, marking a significant shift within the company. Baranova transitions from her role in account management, where she successfully led the team to achieve an impressive average client satisfaction score of 4.8 out of 5 over the last six months. In her new position, she will oversee operations across the organization, focusing on standardizing processes and integrating data-driven decision-making, while also implementing AI solutions to enhance efficiency.
This appointment coincides with a broader transformation at NuxGame, which has evolved from an iGaming software provider to an open ecosystem supporting operator growth. The company now combines a casino and sportsbook platform, a game aggregation service, sweepstakes-ready infrastructure, and an extensive partner network. Managing the complexity of this system is a substantial operational challenge, one that Baranova is well-equipped to handle, given her recent experience with client relations.
As COO, Baranova is tasked with creating uniform processes across all teams and ensuring decisions are based on data analytics. She aims to expedite client reporting and establish clear, trackable service level agreements (SLAs) for operators.
NuxGame’s CEO, Daniel Heywood, expressed confidence in Baranova's capabilities, stating, "Our next stage is about turning progress into a scalable, data-driven, and predictable organization, one that grows faster without losing quality, transparency, or control. That is operational work, and Mariia is among the best operational minds I know. She sees the whole system where others see a list of tasks. And she got here the rarest way possible: by always being completely herself – direct, honest, and bold in a very smart, valuable way."
Baranova herself shared her vision for her new role, saying, "Everything can be solved: that’s the belief I bring into this role. My job is to make NuxGame faster and more precise – numbers in front of every decision, answers that take a minute instead of a request to an analyst and three days of waiting, and people’s thinking (the one resource I will never automate) always getting the final word."
Recognized for her commitment to professional development, Baranova was also nominated for the Outstanding Mentor Award at the WiG Diversity Awards 2026 earlier this year.
