By Damian Martinez, journalist at G&M News.
Congratulations on winning the ‘Outstanding Mentor Award’ at the Women in Gaming (WiG) Diversity & Employee Wellbeing Awards 2024! Can you explain what this recognition means to you personally and professionally?
Thank you! Winning the ‘Outstanding Mentor Award’ at the Women in Gaming Diversity & Employee Wellbeing Awards means a lot to me, both personally and professionally. For me, this award is a reminder of something important: no one achieves anything worthwhile alone. The support of a mentor or coach can make a world of difference, enabling us to unlock potential within ourselves that we might not see for ourselves. I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors and coaches throughout my career, and this award reflects their influence and encouragement as much as my own work. On a professional level, mentoring and coaching are some of the most fulfilling aspects of my work. Watching people grow and succeed is incredibly rewarding, and it’s always a two-way street. Their energy and commitment push me to continue evolving as well. I am grateful to everyone I’ve mentored and coached. Their dedication is what drives my passion for this work.
As the Global Head of Talent Development at Betsson Group, how do you approach developing talent in such a dynamic and competitive industry like gaming?
At Betsson Group, I focus on aligning talent development with both business objectives and individual needs. In the fast-moving gaming industry, we aim to create personalized development plans that address critical technical skills and leadership development needs. We also foster a culture of continuous learning, tapping into internal expertise and external resources to stay ahead of industry trends. Our goal is to build a talent pipeline that not only meets current demands, but also positions us to lead in shaping the future of the industry.
In your experience, what are the most important qualities in a mentor, and how do you cultivate those in your role at Betsson?
I think the most important qualities in a mentor are self-awareness, empathy, and the ability to actively listen to fully understand the mentee’s individual goals and aspirations. Gravitas is equally important, as it establishes the credibility needed for the mentee to feel that your guidance is grounded in real experience and insight. A genuine interest in the mentee’s growth is also key. It shows you’re truly invested in their development, not just offering advice based on your own perspective or agenda. As a mentor, my role is to enable individuals navigate their challenges in a way that aligns with their personal journey, not mine. I focus on staying self-aware and managing my own biases, making sure my guidance is always tailored to the specific needs of the person in front of me. I also center on creating trusting relationships where honest conversations and constructive feedback can take place. This is to ensure that those I mentor feel supported and empowered to take ownership of their growth, confident that I’m genuinely invested in their success on their own terms.
Your book Leaders Made From Within, which will be released on October 16th, offers a transformative approach to leadership development. Could you elaborate on the key principles in the text and how they differ from traditional leadership models?
In Leaders Made From Within, I present a transformative approach to leadership development that moves away from the traditional, one-size-fits-all models. The book introduces an evidence-based framework that is adaptable to the unique needs of both individuals and organizations. Instead of relying on generic programs, it emphasizes the importance of tailoring development to the specific, real-world challenges leaders encounter in their daily roles. A key principle of the book is that leadership development is both deeply personal and highly context specific. Traditional approaches often fail because they detach training from the actual challenges leaders face, making it hard to translate lessons into meaningful action. My approach focuses on helping leaders integrate what they learn directly into their work environment, ensuring that development is practical and immediately applicable. Another critical difference is the focus on aligning leadership development initiatives with the organization’s culture, strategy, and goals. Leadership development isn’t just about individual improvement; it’s about building a system where leadership is enabled across the organization. Without alignment and visible support from senior management, even the most well-designed and executed development programs can become superficial and ineffective. The book provides a roadmap for embedding leadership development into the organization’s broader structure, ensuring it becomes a transformative and sustainable process rather than a simple box-ticking exercise.
How do you foresee the role of women evolving in the gaming industry, particularly in leadership positions, over the next decade?
I see this similarly to other male-dominated industries, reflecting broader societal shifts towards gender equality and equity. Over the next decade, I expect more women to move into leadership roles, but meaningful progress will only come if we tackle the deeper, systemic barriers that continue to hold women back. Based on my research on women’s leadership development, published last year in the Gender in Management journal, quick fixes like gender quotas or women-only development programs often do more harm than good, as they can reinforce existing gender biases. Instead, we need to focus on foundational issues, such as rethinking how leadership roles are defined and creating more inclusive pathways to leadership. This comprises removing bias from recruitment and promotion processes and providing equitable access to mentorship. I believe that addressing these issues is more likely to lead to an increase in women’s representation in leadership, not just in gaming, but across all industries.