Next September, the Diversity in Gaming industry Awards will reward and recognize individuals and organizations for outstanding devotion to enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion in the sector. About the awards, Colin Thompson, Director of event organizer Clever Duck Media, said: “Diversity is not just a priority, but should be part of the culture in our industry. We are very proud promoting gender gap in technology and female leader roles for 9 years, and believe we are ready to recognize some of the outstanding diversity efforts we witnessed by a number of organizations in our industry.”
The WiG Diversity & Employee Wellbeing Awards 2021 is an in-person event that will take place on September 10th at The Londoner Hotel (London, UK), an ALLSAFE approved hotel that has introduced elevated hygiene and prevention measures to ensure attendants’ safety. However, for the guests to feel comfortable, the Women in Gaming Awards will offer more space between tables.
With 22 categories, including ‘Company of the Year’, ‘Best Diverse Place to Work’, ‘Diverse and Inclusive Team of the Year’, ‘Leader of the Year’, ‘Inspiration of the Year’ and ‘Star of the Future’, among others, female executives and companies that received the most nominations are Scientific Games, Microgaming, Playtech, Betsson Goup. Other companies with several nominatios are IGT, William Hill, Gamesys Group, Quickspin and Push Gaming.
Here’s the full list of finalists:
1) B2B Excellence Award
Alevtina Petrova (Triple Edge Studios)
Andreea Vizireanu (Playtech)
Catalina Lukianenko (Thunderspin)
Christine Parkhill (Push Gaming)
Fabienne Bourgaize (Eyecon)
Florence Chateauvieux (IGT)
Lauryn Duncan (Microgaming)
Michal Trafikant (Playtech)
Yuliia Koroviko-Patlan (Playtech)
2) Best Diverse Place To Work
Betsson Group
Gamesys Group
Quickspin
The Coingaming Group
3) Best in House initiative Internal Communication
Scientific Games
William Hill
4) Best Use Of Technology
BGaming
UltraPlay
5) Community Engagement
Betsson Group
Gamesys Group
6) Company of the Year
Betsson Group
BGaming
Genesis Global
Microgaming
Quickspin
Scientific Games
7) Diverse and Inclusive Team of the Year
Gamesys Group
IGT
William Hill
8) Diversity & Inclusion
Betsson Group
Microgaming
9) Employee of the Year
Alison Beattie (Eyecon)
Barbara Batari (Just for the win)
Charlotte Davies (Microgaming)
Lara Knuchel (Merkur Gaming)
Matilda Boman (Quickspin)
Sandra Lindberg (Quickspin)
10) Employee Wellbeing Award
BetGames.TV
Betsson Group
BGaming
Eclipse Gaming
Microgaming
Scientific Games
11) Excellence in Customer Service
Genesis Global
Karen Mealey (Playtech)
Lais Bordallo (Coingaming Group)
Lori McArthur (Playtech)
Malin Persson (Betsson Group)
Tanya Axisa (Quickspin)
Tetiana Zavadska (Playtech)
Tiivi Klooren (Playtech)
12) Industry Achiever
Aiste Garneviciene (BetGames)
Caitlin Hanks (IGT)
Jennifer Westbury (Pollard Banknote)
Kajal Verma (Push Gaming)
Melissa Summerfield (Markor Technology)
Tracey Chernay (TransAct Technologies)
Trina Cranmer (Scientific Games)
Vira Sakhniuk (Just for the Win)
13) Innovator
Cara Rooney (Microgaming)
Claire Osborne (Inspired Entertainment)
Cristina Turbatu (Playtech)
Julie Craig (Playtech)
Kajal Verma (Push Gaming)
Mili Dalmia (Scientific Games)
Natalie Valle (Design Works Gaming)
Natalija Rizka (Evolution Gaming)
Qin You (Scientific Games)
Vygerdas Jonikas (BetGames)
14) Innovation in Employee Engagement
Betsson Group
Shondra Deloach-Perea (IGT)
15) Inspiration of the Year
Ana Corina Dinca (Playtech)
Consumer Insight Team (Gamesys Group)
Helen Hedgeland (Evolution Gaming)
Hillory McDaniel (Design Works Gaming)
Karin Fuchs (Playtech)
Lara Knuchel (Merkur Gaming)
Louise Ward (Eclipse Gaming)
Natasha Whittaker (Microgaming)
Olga Apatska (Playtech)
Polina Nikolaeva (BGaming)
16) Leader of the Year (Operators)
Charlotta Shelbourg (Kindred)
Lena Nordin (Betsson Group)
Lina Pecorella (Rootz)
17) Leader of the Year (Suppliers)
Anna Persson (Quickspin)
Christine Parkhill (Push Gaming)
Claire Osborne (Inspired Entertainment)
Jeanna King (Scientific Games)
Karen Zammit (Playtech)
Kimberley Broad (Microgaming)
Lena Yasir (Pragmatic Play)
Lilit Azatyan (Digitain)
Maarja Pärt (Coingaming Group)
Marina Ostrovtsova (BGaming)
Renana Faktor (Playtech)
18) Positive Role Model of the Year
Ani Mkrtchyan (Digitain)
Antje Werner (Playtech)
Antonia Dai (Playtech)
Chu Yook (Greentube)
Dena Rosenzweig (Scientific Games)
Jekaterina Kolomainen (Playtech)
Kristine Evensen (Just for the Win)
Lara Knuchel (Merkur Gaming)
Marilyn Taylor (IGT)
Sarah Campbell (Microgaming)
19) Star of the Future (Operators)
Annalise Scicluna (Videoslots)
Camilla Engelin (Betsson Group)
20) Star of the Future (Suppliers)
Chastity Cook (Scientific Games)
Denisa Csepregi (iSoftBet)
Julia Salagaeva (Connective Games)
Kateryna Venger (Playtech)
Krista Urb (Playtech)
Kristina Meister (Playtech)
Lauryn Duncan (Microgaming)
Mara Costin (Just for the Win)
Sandra Jersova (Playtech)
Yumiko Lundh (Quickspin)
21) Young Leader of the Year
Anna Jonson (Quickspin)
Dominique Spanier (Eyecon)
Erica Goldstein (Scientific Games)
Laura Peretta (Betsson Group)
Laura Zarb Cousin (Videoslots)
Taylor Sanderson (Eclipse Gaming)
Zoe Ebling (Design Works Gaming
22) Industry Pride of the Year
This award will be selected by the judges and will go to one exceptional woman whose vision, innovative approach and success make her an outstanding role model that will inspire more women to choose a career in the land-based or iGaming industry. Judges are Ebba Arnred (CMO, Play’n GO); Roderick Spiteri Schillig (Head of External Communications, Betsson Group); Maria McDonald (Partner, Nordic Gaming); Lena Yasir (Vice President, Pragmatic Play); Brigid Simmonds (Chairperson, Betting & Gaming Council); Nisrine Wanna Mignon (Business Development Director, Les Ambassadeurs Club); Jenny Nilzon (CEO, Swedish Gambling Association); Sari Lichtik (Head of Marketing, Playtech), Siobhan Lane (Chief Commercial Officer, Scientific Games); Kim Barker Lee (Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, IGT), and Anne Muscat Scerri (Head of HR, iSoftBet).