Relax Gaming names former Yggdrasil head as new CFO
Kindred-owned supplier appoints ex-Yggdrasil and NetEnt finance manager Kirsten O’Neill as new CFO after three years with the firm
Relax Gaming has promoted from within to name Kirsten O’Neill as the supplier’s new CFO.
O’Neill arrived at Relax Gaming in February 2021 as director and group finance manager, a title she has since held for just shy of three-and-a-half years before making the step up to C-level with the firm.
Prior to her time at Relax Gaming, she served as group finance manager and deputy CFO at Yggdrasil Gaming from September 2017 to February 2021 out of the group’s Malta offices.
O’Neill cut her teeth in the igaming industry as a finance manager at NetEnt between May 2016 and May 2017, before her last four months with the Stockholm-based supplier were spent as acting group finance manager.
The new Relax Gaming finance chief also counted spells in banking, pensions and publishing prior to joining the igaming sector.
O’Neill’s appointment as Relax Gaming CFO means that her predecessor, Markus Kruk, who occupied the job for nine years, will now move into the role of chief corporate development officer.
He will now be responsible for exploring new product verticals and strategic partnerships.
Reflecting on her promotion, O’Neill dubbed Relax Gaming a “special company” and expressed her excitement at her new role.
She said: “I could not be prouder to take the next step in my career and become CFO at Relax Gaming. This is a special company that has played a huge role in my development over the last several years.
“I am truly excited to continue all of the great work that Markus has achieved ensuring that we are sustainable as a business and I look forward to what lies ahead.”
Martin Stålros, Relax Gaming CEO, spoke glowingly of O’Neill as he added: “We are delighted to announce Kirsten as Relax Gaming’s second-ever CFO.
“She has been a pivotal part of our team for some time and has a fantastic reputation as someone that can be trusted to help us towards our next major milestones as we enter our latest chapter. I am thrilled to see her take the next step of her journey as she genuinely deserves this opportunity.”
On Kruk’s contribution during his spell as CFO, Stålros added: “I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Markus for his outstanding efforts as CFO, we both joined the business around the same time, and he has been instrumental to the journey Relax Gaming has taken as a company.
“I look forward to his continued journey as chief corporate development officer, and to working together closely in his new role.”
O’Neill’s appointment as CFO follows the trend of internal promotion at Relax Gaming, with Stålros himself taking on the top role in April after initially joining the firm as COO in 2015 after departing Unibet.
Stålros succeeded Simon Hammon as CEO, who had a two-year reign before making the “difficult” decision to resign, after taking to LinkedIn to claim he had “completed what [he] set out to do”.
Arnold Ash is EGR’s Executive Recruitment Partner. They support ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.