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Wazdan Strengthens International Team with Four New Hires

Published

6 years ago

June 17, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Award-winning slots manufacturer Wazdan is happy to welcome four new staff members to their team. The rapidly growing company has appointed Albert Bellavista as Head of Business Development – Spain & Latin America, Sandrine Chen as Sales and Business Development Manager – Asia, Bekki D’Agata as Sales and Development Manager and Katarzyna Pysz as Senior Campaign Manager. All four bring a wealth of iGaming experience to the table, and share Wazdan’s passion for games and consistent improvement.

Albert Bellavista has over twelve years’ experience in the betting and gaming industry. Having previously worked with some of the major players including Betfair and William Hill, he brings a wealth of experience in the Spanish and Latin American markets to his new role as Head of Business Development – Spain & Latin America.

Sandrine Chen joins Wazdan as Sales and Business Development Manager – Asia, with a focus on expanding Wazdan’s business in Asia. Her extensive knowledge of the Asian market is unparalleled, and she is known for her proactive approach to new business. Known for her disruptive business ideas, Sandrine’s over 5 years iGaming experience is set to benefit Wazdan’s clients.

Katarzyna Pysz has a wealth of both land-based and online casino experience, having worked for multiple operators including NetEnt during her 13 years in iGaming. She joins the team as Senior Campaign Manager, and brings with her a multitude of B2B and B2C experience cooperating with top casinos on player-facing campaigns.

Bekki D’Agata joins Wazdan from SiGMA where she worked first as Head of Sales and then as Events Director. SiGMA organise and run iGaming events in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Bekki joins Wazdan with an extensive iGaming network, a key understanding of the industry and a host of industry contacts.

Head of Sales at Wazdan Andrzej Hyla said: “We are delighted to welcome four new members to the Wazdan team. Our new team members share our unique Wazdan vision and passion for games. They will be supporting our business to bring new global partners on board and to deliver exceptional customer service to our existing clients. It’s a very exciting time for Wazdan, and we have our sights set on continued global growth.”

Wazdan is a fast-growing games developer, and has become a player and operator favourite. The three new hires will further fuel Wazdan’s international growth, working to bring new global partners on board and providing the company’s existing clients with a best-in-class customer experience. Wazdan’s amazing games portfolio combined with a brilliant team is a winning formula for the energetic game-maker. With four amazing new team members on board, Wazdan aims to become a leading global slots developer in the iGaming industry.

Wazdan’s games are part of a number of casinos and aggregators who focus on appealing to a wide range of audiences, putting the award-winning slots manufacturer’s games at the heart of their differentiation strategy. The slot developer’s growth has continued to accelerate so far this year, with new partnerships agreed with a number of global operators and providers including Digitain, Singular, Mr Slotty, Salsa Technology and Boss. Gaming Solutions amongst others.

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

2 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

sends-ceo-alona-shevtsova-moderates-global-gaming-expansion-panel-in-riyadh

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, will moderate a panel at The Blockchain show on 29^th June, bringing together experts from entertainment, location-based gaming, and content localisation to examine what it takes to build sustainable gaming ecosystems across emerging markets.

The panel, titled “Global Gaming Expansion: Lessons from Untapped Markets,” will structure its discussion across four themes: the growth dynamics reshaping emerging gaming markets; the role of localisation in creating experiences that genuinely connect with new audiences; the infrastructure and communities needed to build gaming ecosystems beyond the game itself; and the lessons and opportunities that will define successful expansion in the years ahead.

Alona Shevtsova plans to frame the discussion around the central challenge for companies looking to expand globally: entering a new market requires far more than bringing an existing product to a new audience. Understanding local cultures, building communities, adapting experiences, and creating ecosystems that allow gaming to grow sustainably are all as important as the product itself.

Alona Shevtsova, CEO of Sends, said:

“The future growth of gaming will come not only from new technologies, but from understanding people — their cultures, communities, and the experiences they want to be part of. Successful expansion will belong to those who can combine global ambition with local understanding.”

The first segment will examine why regions including the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia are becoming increasingly significant for developers, operators, and investors — driven by young audiences, accelerating digital adoption, and new entertainment models creating substantial growth potential. Panellists will explore how consumer preferences differ across markets and what trends among younger audiences are shaping the future of gaming and entertainment.

The third segment will broaden the lens beyond the game itself, exploring the role of location-based entertainment, gaming centres, esports, and experiential destinations in attracting new audiences and building long-term communities. Panellists plan to address how entertainment ecosystems — spanning physical venues, events, and community infrastructure — accelerate gaming adoption in markets where the category is still establishing itself.

Earlier this month, Alona Shevtsova was shortlisted for the 2026 Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the Established Business of the Year category. Her team is also preparing for the Fintech Connect conference in London later this year. Sends will be a leading sponsor of this event.

*Sends is a trade name of SMARTFLOW PAYMENTS LIMITED, registered in England and Wales (Company No.11070048). For more information, visit sends.co .

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