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SAZKA Entertainment AG appoints Lord Sebastian Coe CH KBE to its board

Published

5 years ago

September 20, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Four time Olympic medal winner, current President of World Athletics, and a global leader in the world of sport, Lord Sebastian Coe CH KBE is to join the board of Europe’s largest lottery operators, SAZKA Entertainment AG. Lord Coe’s appointment as the board´s first Independent Non-Executive Director took effect as of September 14, 2021.

Sebastian Coe entered the global stage via athletics in the Moscow Olympic Games in 1980, winning a gold medal in the 1,500m and a silver in the 800m, a feat he repeated in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

After retiring from competitive sport with twelve world records to his name in 1990, he became a Conservative MP and private secretary to William Hague, the then leader of the UK government opposition. In 2004, he became Chairman of London’s bid to host the 2012 Games. When the bid successfully won against Paris, Moscow, New York, and Madrid, he went on to Chair the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organising Committee. He has served as President of World Athletics since 2015, steering the sport on a world stage through the impact of Covid-19, including at a successful Tokyo Olympics. He was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee in 2020.

SAZKA Entertainment is a subsidiary of KKCG, the global investment group founded by Czech entrepreneur Karel Komárek. As chairman of SAZKA Entertainment’s board, Mr Komárek commented: “Lord Coe has been a colossal figure on the world stage of sport, politics and business through his long and distinguished career. We’re honoured to have him join our team as its first Independent Non-Executive Director. He brings tremendous additional strength to our international perspective as we strive to maximise the raising of funds for good causes in all of the markets we serve.”

Lord Sebastian Coe also commented on his appointment. “Over the years I’ve seen the tremendous benefit lottery funds have brought to grassroots and elite sport across the globe. I’m looking forward to joining a team with a proven track record of supporting sport at all levels in the countries where it operates. My role will be to ensure that we develop our support of sport further and ensure that SAZKA Entertainment is a powerful driving force behind grassroots and elite sport funding across Europe and beyond.”

Alona Shevtsova

Sends CEO Alona Shevtsova moderates Global Gaming Expansion panel in Riyadh

Published

4 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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