Kirsi Lagus SVP, Portfolio and Product Development, Fennica Gaming
Celine: Te EDP is an adventure, both professionally and personally. On the professional side it was so important to meet the brilliant EDP speakers, and at the same time meet so many colleagues from the industry from around the world. I couldn’t imagine that I would connect with so many people in one week and keep in touch afterwards.
Celine Alberola Head of Customer Relationships, Les Casinos de Monaco
How would you describe the EDP?
Kirsi: Te EDP is a great combination of some of the industry’s top leaders sharing their experiences with attendees who are challenged to stretch to their limits, outside of comfort zones, to complete a project assignment with an amazing group of talented people - and it’s a lot of fun at the same time. Te EDP gives you a great overview of the casino business and the many aspects affecting it. Te EDP team and the supporting organisations have really done an amazing job with this!
The EDP is a great
combination of some of the industry top leaders sharing their experiences with
attendees who are challenged to stretch
to your limits, outside of your comfort zone, to complete a project assignment with an amazing group of
talented people - and it’s a a lot of fun at the same time. The EDP gives you a
great overview of the casino business and the many aspects affecting it. Kirsi Lagus
What did you know about the EDP going into the event - and what surprised you about the event?
Celine: I was informed by colleagues, who have previously attended the EDP, that it’s a very focused and intense period, but they didn’t describe too much - saying I needed to experience and discover the EDP for myself. I now understand what they meant. Tere is an amazing work intensity, but it’s conducted in such a collaborative and team focused environment, without competitive attitudes.
Te EDP is unique because you spend 10 days out of your comfort zone - with people you’ve never met before - focused upon tasks that build team spirit and cooperation. Te organising team is really amazing too. It is so well organised. Coming from Monaco, I consider our players to be locals, but at the EDP my perspective was from an international destination. Monaco is a global gaming brand and it was fascinating engaging with colleagues from the US to learn and understand their perspectives on the business.
Kirsi: I had an idea of the concept based on the experiences of previous EDP attendees. However, I have to admit that the reality was beyond my imagination. Probably the most surprising thing for me was the great connection and feeling of togetherness that was established within the EDP group.
Attending the event was amazing. I can’t imagine how difficult it was during the pandemic to coordinate everything online. Te opportunity to spend 10 days in a totally different environment helps you to
P38 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
At the EDP 2022, there were 52 attendees, but it felt like a very warm and personalised experience. Te conferences encouraged us to engage, ask questions and not just listen to the speakers. It was an exchange of thoughts and ideas. Despite the fact that it was a 25 hour journey from Monaco, it was a very warm and welcoming experience. Lake Tahoe is wonderful, especially as it was snowing, and it felt like going back to school - in a very good way.
really focus and concentrate on the tasks at hand. You also spend so much time together with your team, you make real connections.
What’s your biggest career take- away after participating in the EDP?
Kirsi: Definitely the new contacts made during the EDP. I think there are many people I will remain in contact with for years to come. Warm thoughts go to our great project team (Olé team Qu4tro!).
One thing that really opened my eyes during the EDP was the focus on women in both gaming and technology, which is directly my background. I think there is so much opportunity missed right now. We have half the population ready to give their input on a wide range of gaming and technology topics, but if we continue to narrow the voices we hear, we also narrow viewpoints and ideas - and ultimately output too.
Celine: Sharing my experiences of the gaming industry with other gaming professionals was really useful. Las Vegas is such a reference point for the industry, but we share many of the same challenges. Since returning from the EDP I have focused more time and attention on my team in Monaco. I think the EDP has given me practical tools that can be used throughout my day-to-day activities, and to share the experiences from the EDP with my team is very important.
Kirsi: Many of the EDP topics related to culture and how you build a culture of innovation in the gaming industry. I also feel that this bleeds into the current hot topic of retention within the business, and the fact that after Covid many people have left the industry for new jobs. I know it’s not just happening in gaming, but there are ideas related to culture within the business that I think are very important in counteracting this issue.
What challenged you the most?
Kirsi: I was not initially sure how much I could be of value and how much I could personally gain from the EDP. However, I think this was exactly where the power of diversity kicked in. I had insight on many topics of which others had no experience, and I learned a lot about areas I had never worked upon.
Celine: Coming into the EDP I thought the big challenge would be the relevance of my experience,
and how that would benefit the group. However, I actually found it very easy to find my role and understood quickly my contribution - adding an international perspective to discussions. For me, the biggest challenge was the language - as the EDP is conducted in English. It was a great challenge to follow the speakers, who talk quickly, using very specific vocabulary.
How valuable is the EDP for career progression?
Celine: I feel that I am part of a much wider gaming industry and I have something valuable to both contribute to that business and share with my team. I was initially unaware that a programme like EDP existed in the gaming industry, despite the fact that I’ve worked in this sector for 22 years. I joined straight from University. Working in casino industry has been an amazing experience, but the EDP has added an international perspective and networking like I would never have imagined.
Kirsi: I don’t consider myself a very career-oriented person. However, making connections within the EDP, elevating your skills and building confidence to cope with various challenges can never be bad for your career. Tere was a great story about the importance of “sharpening your axe” during the course, which I feel reflected the benefit of the EDP programme as a whole. Meaning that you can work really hard round the clock, but if you don’t make sure your tools are in the best possible shape for the task at hand, you will not reach the best results.
How does your participation in the EDP positively impact diversity and inclusion in the gaming industry?
Kirsi: We work in an industry that needs to pay special attention to responsible gaming, sustainability, compliance, and the community related aspects of the business. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are not just fancy words you can attach to your yearly report, but they are things you need to build in as integral part of your everyday business. It is not only for the external pressure that makes it a must. It is a business benefit.
Celine: I think it is really helpful and positive for the position of women within the industry. Most of the speakers were women at EDP with very important roles in the gaming industry, which show that women can hold top roles in this industry. Tey shared their experience and difficulties they’ve
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