Rebecca Sotomora defines herself as a person focused on achieving what she wants. She has great ambition and positive expectations about herself. Also, she admits to being a perfectionist. All these aspects of her personality are expressed by her in her profession. “At job, my employers have always praised me as an excellent businesswoman, which I think is innate to me. It motivates me to make projections and see how, according to plans and strategies that I implement, the income of a company increases. They have also highlighted my ability to develop very solid work teams. I understand that motivation is a key. All people can carry out any task, as long as the correct seed is sown in the mind of your associate or collaborator. In my experience, there is nothing better than having a pleasant work environment, based on camaraderie, motivation and trust, which is why I always offer those characteristics to be able to receive them back”, she explains.
With only five years in the sector, she started in the company CG Solutions, where she managed the B2C segment, supporting 50+ brands in English and Spanish. There, she developed business and customer service skills, which has brought great opportunities in her career. Soon after, she had the opportunity to work as Head of Sales at Groove Gaming, a games aggregator firm. Last year, she had a new challenge. She accepted it and started as CCO of Nemesis Corporation, a group that owns several sports and casino brands, where she currently works. “Right now, at Nemesis, we are dealing with the integration of different game providers to our own platform, to begin with the migration of our brands there. It is a project that has kept me quite busy. However, I’m truly enjoying it,” she says.
On her passion for hard and continuous work, she acknowledges: “My evolution in the gaming industry has been very fast. I think it is due to the passion I feel for what I do, since no day I feel it as an obligation or a burden. It’s just something that I love to do.”
PROACTIVITY AND RELATIONSHIP WITH PAIRS
The dynamics of her sector made her move from her native country, Costa Rica, to Israel. Her proactive personality, always in search for permanent challenges, also gives her an analytical point of view about the sector. “This industry has a charm that consists on knowing that you are never quiet, but in constant development. There is continuous learning that helps you avoid monotony and routine. I love the fact that, in addition to enjoying my work, I had the chance to make great friends. Therefore, I feel that gaming brings the best of many issues: development, exposure to change, being able to provide fun and entertainment to people and the advantage of fostering good communication and interpersonal relationships with different people that enrich your life almost in a daily manner,” she assures with a feeling of gratitude and satisfaction.
Of course, above all things, commitment and responsibility prevail. On this issue, she affirms: “Responsible gaming must be a priority for all companies in the industry. It is essential to create a safe environment for all players, thus favoring the sustainable development of the sector. At Nemesis, we must, at the same time, provide the necessary protection to the player, and have our working teams well trained, with precise knowledge on how to act in those situations in which a player behavior could be problematic. Responsibility begins at home, and we must follow all the regulations that the different entities have been (and continue to) establishing, in accordance with their jurisdictions.”
THE VALUE OF FEMALE CONTRIBUTION
During this dialogue, the evolution of women in different industries naturally appears as a relevant issue to discuss. She talks about how they have made efforts to escape limited, historically assigned roles. Thus, Rebecca expresses: “Although the different traditions, cultures and societies have influenced in determining the place that women should occupy, with time and a lot of work, important achievements have been made around promoting gender equality and stimulate the women empowerment.” Furthermore, she completes her idea with a personal view: “I don’t believe in ‘gender equality’ as such, but rather in the justice of having the same rights and opportunities. As individuals, both men and women, we are able to develop and achieve the same goals, without any difference. Of course, this requires the right desire, guidance, commitment, and education. Gender does not define intelligence and/or capabilities; only closed-minded people think in terms of those limitations.”
On gaming and women, she says: “Today, the industry is open to everyone. The participation of women in C-level positions in the sector is being increasingly valued and expanded. I believe that we have an amazing organizational capacity, in addition to being natural leaders who care for support and motivate our work teams, as if they were our own family. I feel like we are ‘programmed’ from the cradle to perform several tasks at the same time, which allows us to do everything more quickly, always focused on goals.”
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND THE USE OF FREE TIME
Being a planner, Sotomora has never felt overwhelmed or less productive in any way. She knows how to set priorities and establish limits. She understands that being able to manage time well and trying to complete each assignment at the right time is essential. “Life is a beautiful journey. We are going to get what we project. We will receive the same energy with which we vibrate, so you have to be wise and know how to choose which course of action you will take,”, she says in a relaxed tone and with the experience received after traveling around the world.
Precisely because of the pandemic, she misses travel very much, including attending gaming business events, which generate adrenaline, offer new experiences and allow personal and emotional enrichment. In this regard, to achieve a healthy balance and to be in optimal working condition, in her free time, Rebecca meditates, reads and listens to music. In addition, she watches some television, enjoys contact sports such as boxing and karate, loves to dance, and is passionate about learning on new cultures.
When it comes to describe herself, she declares: “I am a very loving person, perhaps because I am Latin and it is our way of being in general. I am always positive and grateful, very smiling. I don’t let problems affect me. I am super passionate; I live each day to the fullest. In each circumstance, I prefer to see reality in colors and not just as a black spot. I am very dreamy, full of different illusions and purposes. I consider myself the type of person that others look to for advice. You will only see me doing things that make me happy and bring me in complete peace.”
All that enthusiasm and her positive approach on life motivate her to always go for more opportunities. Currently, she is pursuing an MBA at ‘The Power MBA’ Business School. “I’m sure that once I finish it, I will find another course to take. I like to be learning new things. As for Nemesis Corporation, I see that it has great potential to continue advancing with the current brands in its portfolio, and with new projects that we are developing,” she concludes.
In one line
A book: “Think and Grow Rich” (Napoleon Hill, 1937)
A movie: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” (Mark Herman, 2008, based on a story by John Boyne)
Favorite music: romantic
A fragrance: L’Impératrice 3, by Dolce & Gabbana
A place to live: Israel
A place for vacations: two, South Africa and Aruba
A place for dining out: Sukiyabashi Jiro, a sushi restaurant in Tokyo, Japan
A meal: japanese
A drink: white wine
A sport: football
A teacher/mentor: my mother, the best example I could ever have in life