GiG Platform lands ex-Kambi CIO as latest board member
Andreas Söneby becomes the newest addition to the supplier’s board as he replaces Tomasz Juroszek ahead of parent company’s split
Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) has appointed ex-Kambi chief information officer (CIO) Andreas Söneby to the board of directors of GiG Platform.
Söneby will step onto the board with immediate effect, with his arrival coming at a crucial time for the company ahead of the strategic split set to take place at the end of next month.
Under the terms of the split, GiG Platform & Sportsbook will separate from GiG’s affiliate division Gentoo Media, with the companies becoming distinct listed entities.
The GiG Platform board is, for the time being, a committee of the board of directors of GiG dedicated to the Platform & Sportsbook vertical until the split is finalised.
Söneby joins the GiG Platform board as a replacement for the departing Tomasz Juroszek, while the remainder of the group consists of chair Petter Nylander, Hessi Mocca, Mikael Riese Harstad and Nicolas Adlercreutz.
The Juroszek family are GiG’s largest shareholder, with Tomasz representing their Betplay Capital fund.
Mateusz Juroszek, chair of Polish operator STS which is owned by Entain, sits on the Gentoo Media board.
Speaking to EGR, a Betplay Capital spokesperson said: “The change is connected with the process of splitting the company into two separate businesses.
“Tomasz remains committed to the further development of both entities. The Juroszek family, as the largest shareholder in the two companies, will take further steps related to its involvement in the companies’ authorities.
“The Juroszek family’s approach as a long-term investor does not change.”
Söneby is an experienced figure within the sector, having occupied several senior roles for both high-profile operators and suppliers.
From May 2006 until January 2011, he rose up the ranks at Kindred Group’s Unibet brand, arriving as head of development and acting head of operations, before leaving the firm as chief technology officer.
Söneby then shifted over to Kambi after its establishment within the wider Kindred Group company in August 2010 as CIO.
He remained with the business through to May 2020, during which time Kambi split from Kindred in 2014 as Söneby managed a workforce of 300-plus staff.
Söneby moved to White Hat Gaming as CEO upon leaving Kambi but remained in the post for just five months until September 2020.
His most recent role comes in the form of venture partner at Industrifonden, a Swedish venture capital firm.
Speaking on Söneby’s arrival, Nylander said: “We are delighted to welcome Andreas to our GiG Platform board.
“His deep industry knowledge and leadership experience will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position as a leading player in the gaming industry.
“We are confident that Andreas’s insights and expertise will bring significant value to our board and to the company as a whole.”
The news came just days after GiG announced its quarterly results, revealing a fall in revenue for its Platform & Sportsbook division of 21% year on year (YoY), falling to €7.3m, €2m short of Q2 2023’s total.
Adjusted EBITDA also witnessed a slump, dropping to a loss of €1.6m, a notable decline compared to the positive return of €3.7m generated at the same time last year.
In contrast, Gentoo Media posted all-time high revenues for the 14th consecutive quarter, generating €30.3m alongside a 43% YoY climb in adjusted EBITDA to €14.8m.
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