iGaming Next Valletta 2023: Exclusive Preview with Catena Media!
The international iGaming community is set to assemble in Malta later this week on June 21st for iGaming NEXT Valletta, a game-changing event. A hub of iGaming elites will gather at the famed Mediterranean Conference Centre, expecting over 4000 senior leaders in attendance.
This two-day event offers excellent networking opportunities, premier content, and unrivalled hospitality in one of Europe’s most picturesque locales.
An impressive roster of iGaming thought leaders will hit the stage to share insights on strategies, investments, and upcoming year focus points. Among these distinguished speakers is Fiona Brown, CHRO at Catena Media. We had a brief conversation with her to glean some key insights into the event as a whole and her specific session!
With so many new iGaming conferences emerging in the industry, how do you decide which are the best visit and why is iGaming Next Valletta so important to attend for you?
“So true, there really are so many conferences now taking place, it would be a full-time job to just attend them all.
“The difference with the iGaming NEXT conferences is the standard and mix of the speakers as well as the variety of the sessions and subject matter. They focus on what will be interesting for the attendees vs what any of the speakers might what to share. Also, from year to year they’re not just rolling out and discussing the same topics, they have a deep understanding of the market and choose very current challenges or discussion points. This in turn makes it relevant for attendees, which is critical for busy people to give their time.
“The iGaming NEXT team are also amazing at organizing events. When you see their name as conference organizers you know it will be professional, very well planned and run efficiently.”
Can you tell us more about your session and what the audience will learn from attending?
“I’m involved in a panel as part of the Diversity and Inclusion track on the Thursday. We will be discussing the gender pay gap, imposter syndrome and negotiation skills. In 25 minutes, there is no way we can cover all of these topics in detail to do them justice, so we will be focusing on the experience of each of the panel members through our careers. And with a wealth of experience on the panel to draw from, we also aim to give some tips and ideas to help those attending.”
Do you think gender diversity has improved much since you entered the sector? How long will it take before we see true gender equality across our industry?
“I’ve been in this industry for almost 8 years, having worked previously in tech, investment banking and professional services. It is great to see the focus on diversity now and this is helping to change our industry, as well as others. That being said, there is still a very long way to go, and I don’t think we’ll ever reach full gender equality, but nor do I think we should strive for that.
“Gender equality encompasses a range of different meanings. If we refer to equal numbers of male and female employees in a company, is that realistic in a largely tech-focused organization?
“Rather than focus on equality, we should be striving for equity. Equality is about giving everyone the exact same resources whereas equity is about distributing those resources based on individual needs. An example of an organization where equality may be present, but equity is not, is if the representation of women is equal to men but their empowerment and ability to reach higher ranks are lacking. From this, we see that the ability to listen and empathize with employees is more important than simply creating diverse teams and throwing the same blanket of resources over all employees. This highlights the need to build a culture of equity within a diverse workforce and industry and I’m not sure when we’ll achieve that.”
Are there any other conference sessions happening at iGaming NEXT Valletta that you’re looking forward to attending and why?
“Yes, very much so. There are many sessions I’ll be attending, however, one of the main highlights for me each year is the HR Connect track.
“I’m proud to have been involved with HR Connect since its inception and it’s great to see what it’s grown into today.
“There are some interesting and very topical sessions planned around AI, remote work and burnout to growing our superstars. It also provides a great social element for the members and other HR people to network and collaborate.”
Editor’s note:
Following our chat with Fiona, the anticipation for this week’s event is unmistakable. This crucial gathering provides an ideal platform to discover current market trends, gain high-level industry insights, and connect with industry contemporaries. It’s an unmissable opportunity. Tickets can still be bought from the iGaming NEXT website, so don’t miss out. We look forward to seeing you all there!
