WAYNE ELLARD – LIGHT & WONDER
Matt: We also spoke last year about L&W changing its focus to be a pure gaming company. How has the company further settled into that new shape in your first year as MD? Wayne: In my first year as Managing Director, I’ve witnessed L&W undergo a significant transformation as it shifts its focus. 2022 marked the rebirth of the company, whilst in 2023 we really started to reap the rewards of the change in focus and increased investment. The additional investment, coupled with a
clarified strategic vision and a firm commitment to creating exceptional games, has reshaped Light & Wonder’s identity for the better. We have a blend of established and new studios that are creating some of the best games we have ever released. Throughout 2023, we also oversaw a notable
increase in collaboration among our internal studios, spanning land-based, digital, and social. We are all about the games and with such a diverse talent pool there are a lot of great ideas. This collaborative spirit is instrumental in leveraging our strengths and fulfilling our commitment to delivering on our position as the leading global cross-platform gaming company.
Matt: You already had a large body of experience behind you; have you had to add to your skill set to deal with the last year as MD? Wayne: My extensive product management experience laid a strong foundation for my move into the MD role and I feel fortunate to bring a diverse background covering various aspects of the business. I’ve been fortunate to have a good team around me. In the past year, my focus and skills have
changed from being solely focussed on our products to taking more of a balanced view about
GAMING FOR AFRICA The upcoming year brings exciting launches like
“Dragon Train”, “Squid Game”, and “Dragon Spin Cross Link”, complementing our successful existing titles. We believe in these games and my hope is that the strong performance we are seeing in initial markets is also seen in our region. For us, it’s all about the games, so seeing a great product rewarded with standout performance is what makes all of our teams tick.
our whole business. Products are still important, and they always will be, but I have spent more time ensuring our service is excellent, our people are happy and that we are always looking at how we can improve.
Matt: What are your hopes for 2024 overall? Wayne: 2024 is a pivotal year for our business. Operators are in a much stronger position to transition from recovery mode to focusing on how they differentiate, enhance and drive their business. Our focus is on adapting to evolving customer needs and being an outstanding partner.
Matt: Any predictions for the shape of land- based Gaming as we proceed through 2024? Wayne: I think we will see continued strong performance in the major European markets as operators complete their return to pre-COVID investment levels. In some markets we have seen operators reduce or delay investment because performance has been strong despite the reduction in investment caused by COVID. This works in the short term but ultimately this is a product and experience led business and the onus is on suppliers to produce must-have new products that encourage players to experiment. We have confidence that our games library will help to drive further re-investment as operators feel the benefits. I also think we will see more importance placed
on cross-platform products. We have many markets where lead operators tell us that the players who are active in more than one channel are also the most engaged customers. Internally, we have increased the proportion of games available in land-based and iGaming and I think that will help us to make a difference to operators in 2024. We are also seeing the benefits of those teams working together more to capitalise on the very best ideas regardless of channel. In the end, it’s all about the games.
FEBRUARY 2024 43
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