In the fast-paced gambling industry, the right leadership is crucial, prompting operators and suppliers to actively seek new hires. Recently, several significant appointments have been made in North America.
Polymarket has turned to former Uber Vice President Travis VanderZanden, naming him Chief Growth Officer as they expand their U.S. operations. VanderZanden, who also served as COO at Lyft and founded Bird, will manage growth and marketing strategies as Polymarket gears up for major events. In a LinkedIn post about his new role, he remarked, "Most people still think of prediction markets as a place to trade on elections or sports. IMO that’s the smallest version of what this becomes. Shayne Coplan’s built something genuinely rare, and I’m here to help him scale it to the world."
His appointment follows other recent executive hires at Polymarket, including Megan McGrath, formerly of Robinhood, as chief compliance officer, and Paul Jordan from Nasdaq as chief risk officer.
Fiona Power, after seven years at FanDuel where she held various director positions in commercial partnerships, has joined The Unit, an online gambling product specialist based in Ireland, as Chief Commercial Officer. Power, based in New York City, will play a key role in leading the company’s international expansion, focusing on commercial strategy, market analysis, and partnership development. She noted, “There is a significant opportunity to develop new partnerships, anticipate where the market is heading, and connect The Unit’s capabilities with businesses that can benefit from them.” At FanDuel, her contributions included forming multi-state partnership agreements and launching over 20 retail sportsbooks nationwide.
In Atlantic City, Bally’s Corporation has appointed Tom Pohlman, a veteran from Golden Nugget Atlantic City, as president of Bally’s Atlantic City. Pohlman has spent the last 15 years at Golden Nugget and will now oversee Bally's operations. He expressed enthusiasm for the iconic property located at Park Place and the Boardwalk, highlighting its historical significance and future potential amidst Bally’s ongoing billion-dollar construction projects and recent financial challenges.
Internet Vikings has announced Nicklas Insulander as its new Chief Operating Officer, effective this October. Insulander, who previously led Orange Business, will direct operational strategy at the Swedish tech firm, specializing in digital hosting for online sports betting and iGaming. He has a background in digital transformation and innovation, and founder Rickard Vikström stated that Insulander’s role would be vital for maintaining the company’s agility.
In Canada, NorthStar Gaming has made several leadership updates: Corey Goodman transitions from interim CEO to permanent status, Chin Dhushenthen has stepped down as CFO, with Ben Powell taking the interim role, and Krisztina Kalla has been appointed as vice president of compliance. NorthStar focuses on its sportsbook, NorthStar Bets, in Ontario’s regulated market but has recently faced financial hardships, leading to cost-saving measures and a trading ban on the Toronto Stock Exchange due to issues with financial filings.
EveryMatrix has welcomed Jeppe Wienziers Stenbæk as its new AI chief, aiming to enhance its betting technology through artificial intelligence. Stenbæk, formerly with Inpay and EY Denmark, emphasized his goals in leveraging technology for operational improvements. He stated, “AI is the biggest lever I’ve seen for that job in my career. I’m excited to be back in SaaS and to shape how AI creates value across EveryMatrix.”
