Gamingtec Welcomes Suren Khachatryan as Deputy CEO

Gamingtec is thrilled to welcome Suren Khachatryan as our new Deputy CEO. Suren joins Gamingtec with over 15 years of experience in leadership roles and has been connected with the company since its early days in 2013. His leadership style focuses on a customer-first approach, quick decision-making, and empowering his team to innovate and excel. We are confident Suren is ready to guide Gamingtec into the next expansion phase. In this interview, Suren shares his vision for the company's future and outlines his strategic goals and priorities. Discover more about his plans and insights in this conversation.

What attracted you to Gamingtec? What do you consider are the company's greatest strengths and opportunities?

Suren: I've been tracking Gamingtec's development since its startup phase in 2013, and I've known some of the key team members since then. We had the opportunity to collaborate with companies during my previous engagements, and I've always admired how Gamingtec grew organically. Speaking with my team members, I realised our current position wasn't part of the original plan. One of our strengths is our agility and dynamism; we don't plan years in advance, we plan quarterly. We take small but solid steps forward and are flexible enough to adapt to the ever-changing gaming environment.

Another strength is that we're distributed and fully remote, staffed with professional and senior individuals at every level, which enables us to work efficiently and stay focused. The greatest opportunity I see is the growth we're yet to experience on a scale of geometric progression, with its spillover effects on our current and new partners, who will benefit from our top-notch technology and professional service.

What attracted me are the people in Gamingtec. The company is actively trying to reduce heavily administrative "non-attractive" aspects, so we can all spend more time on the creative side of things. This can drive meaningful impact which will benefit both us, and our partners.

How do you see Gamingtec in the next five years? What are your priorities?

Suren: We have a strong presence in regulated markets, with recent entries into Poland and Portugal. We also received an Isle of Man licence just recently. Over the next five years, we'll focus on emerging markets that we believe will be regulated, fulfilling certification requirements to become the provider of choice for both new and existing operators in markets that are regulated and are to be regulated in the future.

My priority is to radiate the vision and mission of our company's founder throughout the company's structure. This involves not just rhetoric but actual implementation, to catapult and expand our international presence and partner base. There are significant advantages for our employees and partners as we aim to significantly increase our EBITDA within the next few years.

What leadership style do you bring to the company?

Suren: At Gamingtec, we have very few processes and always think customer-first. We have a flat organisational structure, and we make quick decisions. We welcome people to fail—it's a good way of learning—and we support them in recovering to encourage risk-taking. We have an internal saying: "We're not a nuclear plant; whatever happens, we will recover." These values, along with respecting colleagues and being surrounded by professionals and experienced people, align with my leadership style. I'm capable of handling many aspects of the iGaming business, but I've learned over the years to delegate and guide people, offering them constructive hints and multiple directions to choose from. If I see them struggling, I'm there to help them complete the task because, at the end of the day, we are a team and the most important aspect is our customer.

Being in a position such as mine is a difficult yet rewarding task. One has to recruit, motivate and encourage everyone to move forward - all while focusing on one's own tasks. During the 13+ years of my managerial career, I have had the pleasure of being a "best boss" to many, not only in terms of showing them the work mechanics, but also inspiring creativity in them and triggering them to commit to what they are doing. I hope to continue building on this as my past reputation pushes me forward.

What do you consider to be the most important qualities of a successful leader in the iGaming industry?

Suren: In this industry, a successful leader should be charismatic, and it's okay to have a sense of humour. One should have a successful track record and have faced and overcome difficulties; hence, one should be an energetic person, dedicated to the company, and have a long-term vision. The lifestyle and work routine of a leader should set an example for everyone around them. Power is an important factor in corporate life, especially in iGaming, so projecting confidence, ambition, and the ability to break the rules is paramount.

Let's be honest: there's no university that teaches iGaming and how it actually works. It's important to recognise what employees love and allow fluidity so that they find their true role in the company. Central to any leadership activity is visionary action, coming up with strategies, and making sure that people are assigned in the best way. In short, successful leaders are masters of structured processes and know how to bring the best out of people.

What are your plans for expanding Gamingtec's product portfolio?

Suren: Since 2013, over the past 11 years, we have been racing to align our product with market needs. Our products are fully equipped with all the necessary functionality and state-of-the-art technology, like AI-powered suggestion engines. Although I have only been with Gamingtec for a few weeks, I have mostly explored the product through my colleagues. The knowledge they possess and the functionality our services offer are fascinating. I assume the product roadmap will be directed towards localisation, gamification, and rolling out some new features for crypto casinos soon.

What strategies do you have in mind to set Gamingtec's products apart from the rest?

Suren: The problem current operators face is differentiation. Say you are a multimillion-dollar operator on a platform where some small startups have an identical product to yours, with barriers of entry being a setup cost usually less than a student loan that anyone can afford. How do you protect your business? If anyone reading this article faces that challenge, call me directly and let's talk! We stand out because we are different. And this is the strategy that I want to push forward.

What new markets do you see as potential growth opportunities?

Suren: I see big potential in all emerging markets that are to be regulated. We are aiming high for these markets, searching for strategic partnerships and collaborations across all verticals in iGaming that share our vision.