Empire

High Level Overview

I spearheaded the development of a disruptive Product Department, crafting processes, defining methodologies, and assembling a dynamic team dedicated to executing our strategic roadmap.

Building the Team

I led the formation of the product team at Empire, carefully selecting a group of sharpshooters whose diverse skills and perspectives meshed seamlessly. This was instrumental in transforming innovative ideas into tangible outcomes,

Defining Policy

Together with the CTO, we implement a set of product policies. These guidelines were pivotal in ensuring a seamless integration of tech and product strategy, fostering an environment of continuous innovation and excellence.

Strategy Definition

I championed the integration of agile, characterised by swift iteration cycles. This approach not only accelerated dev, but also ensured that our strategies were flexible and responsive to rapidly changing market demands.

Visionary Led Flexibility

Under my leadership, we launched a dedicated product stream designed to align closely with the visionary ambitions of our founder. This initiative enabled us to pursue bold, innovative product strategies.

Daily Free Coins

Created a reward system which deposits 20% of the house edge into a coin pool, which gets returned to the user as a bonus daily.

Races

Created leaderboards allowing users to race to claim top of the table pries. This buildt upon the experiences by stake.com.

Slots

Led the commercial relationship with Sk8 to rollout a growing selection of slots across the platform.

Case Battles

Laid the groundwork for case opening and case battles following the rising popularity of these within the industry.

Matchbetting Enhancements

Worked closely with the eSports matchbetting team to rollout fundamental updates to our betting platform.

Duel

Played a key role in providing the product specifications and UX for the business’s next-generation casino.

I learnt a lot about the value of next-gen games, and acquired invaluable insight into world of casino, from the gen-Z perspective. A world of excitement, adrenaline & fun, not just slots and table games.

Some more information…

Background How it was Built My Scope

How do you adapt from senior positions at industry behemoths, to next-gen, highly iterative platforms?

Adapting from senior roles in established industry giants such as Flutter and Entain, to next-gen, highly iterative platforms involves a shift in both mindset and methodology. At large corporations, decision-making can be structured and deliberate, with a focus on preserving existing market dominance. However, in dynamic, next-gen environments, the pace is rapid and the focus shifts towards constant innovation and agility.

Embracing this change requires flexibility and a willingness to adopt new approaches quickly. In my experience, the key is to leverage the reliable processes and strategic thinking honed in traditional settings while infusing the entrepreneurial spirit and speed of start-ups. This hybrid approach allows for navigating the challenges of fast-paced product development cycles effectively, ensuring that innovation remains at the forefront without sacrificing the quality and strategic insight gained from years in more established companies.

Such environments thrive on a cycle of rapid prototyping, testing, and iteration, making it crucial to build teams that are adaptable and technically versatile. This ensures that new ideas are not only generated but executed with precision, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in technology and user experience.

How do you create a product team in a fast paced next-gen casino from scratch? 

I worked with the founder and CTO in leading the creation of policies designed to foster agility and innovation, crucial for staying ahead in the competitive iGaming landscape. We implemented a continuous Improvement policy, ensuring that every aspect of our product underwent regular scrutiny and enhancement based on user feedback and data-driven insights.

This was complemented by a flexibility in execution policy, which allowed teams to adapt processes dynamically to meet rapidly changing market demands without being constrained by traditional project methodologies – the total football of product, if you will.

To support these policies, we prioritised recruiting for roles that were pivotal in a lean, agile environment. This included Agile Product Managers, whose expertise in flexible project management techniques was crucial. We also sourced Data Scientists to anchor our decisions in analytics, and UX/UI Designers to ensure our products remained user-centric. Each of these positions was chosen not only for their individual expertise but for their ability to synergise with the agile, forward-thinking culture we were cultivating.

These strategic hires and innovative policies collectively enabled our product development to be both iterative and impactful, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in digital gaming and creating a product suite that was as robust as it was revolutionary.

What were my main areas of focus?

Visionary Alignment

  • Strategically aligned product initiatives with the founder’s innovative vision to capture emerging opportunities in the iGaming sector.
  • Ensured our product development efforts anticipated and leveraged technological advancements and market trends.

Strategic Execution

  • Developed a comprehensive product roadmap that set clear priorities, benchmarks, and performance metrics to guide our innovation.
  • Led cross-functional teams in the execution of the product strategy, ensuring projects met critical milestones and objectives.

Team Leadership

  • Recruited and developed a diverse team of product managers, designers, and developers to foster innovation and agility.
  • Promoted a culture of continuous learning and adaptation to keep the team at the forefront of industry developments.

Operational Insight

  • Implemented rigorous process improvements to streamline product launch and iteration cycles.
  • Coordinated between multiple departments to ensure seamless integration of technical, marketing, and customer service efforts.

Regulatory Navigation

  • Proactively addressed new regulatory challenges, adapting our product features to comply with legal standards across different jurisdictions.
  • Engaged with legal and compliance teams regularly to ensure all product initiatives were ahead of regulatory changes.

Stakeholder Communication

  • Delivered regular updates to the C-suite on product progress, challenges, and strategic shifts to maintain alignment with the company’s overall objectives.
  • Facilitated workshops and sessions with stakeholders to ensure product decisions were informed by diverse insights and business needs.