Novomatic Africa Announces Reshuffle to Management Team

Article by : Charles Perrin Aug 3, 2023

• 
• 

Novomatic has been spearheading changes in the gambling industry for well over 40 years, and now the African arm of the company has announced they will be shaking things up with their management team.

As of immediate effect, several fundamental changes will involve some of the most high-profile board members. This includes Sonya Nikolova, who had previously served as a local Board of Directors member for several years. Still, she has returned to Austria to take on a strategic role in the global sales department at Novomatic.

Things are certainly moving at some pace as the high-tech gaming company sets its sights on expanding its presence worldwide.

And with Novomatic continuing to increase its brand value, management changes are also part of the evolutionary process.

Changes afoot

While a couple of constants have remained, such as Muriel Loftie-Eaton and Alexander Merwald, who will stay on as Board of Directors at the Novomatic Africa Group, there will be another managing director to accommodate.

Chantel Crossley, who has been with Novomatic Africa since 2022 as Head of the Group’s finance department, will now assume the role of MD.

A chartered accountant by trade, Crossley has held down a mix of financial and operational roles at some of the biggest companies in South Africa and abroad, with Deloitte featuring on her CV.

And the announcement of Crossley is a boon, considering her knowledge of the South African market and the extensive management skills she has acquired over the years.

Reacting to her appointment, Crossley said: “Since joining the Novomatic Group, I have been excited to be part of one of the largest integrated companies in the world.

“Now, I am looking forward to being able to contribute my personal management expertise and experience on a strategic level to further the growth of the Group in the region.”

Meanwhile, Merwald couldn’t conceal his excitement over Crossley’s promotion.

He said: “Muriel Loftie-Eaton and I are delighted to have Chantel Crossley join us as Managing Director at Novomatic Africa Group.

“We look forward to collaborating with her to grow Novomatic’s markets in the South African region together.”

Global Expansion

Restructuring is part and parcel of the gaming industry, and Novomatic, who has a proven track record of developing high-quality slots, knows they can’t stand still.

A June survey by the European Brand Institute showed that Novomatic ranked second among the top 10 most valuable companies in Austria for a fourth straight year.

In terms of gaming companies, only Red Bull finished higher. But Novomatic carried a lot of favor as it has enjoyed sustained growth and increased revenues.

Meanwhile, Novomatic has continued to launch its products in other regulated markets, and last month, it created a further footprint in the Far East after disclosing it had reached a partnership agreement with Tecnet Asia, which supplies casino gaming products.

And last year, Novomatic received player protection certificates from the Global Gaming Guidance Group (G4) in Italy and Spain, becoming the first Austrian company to gain international status for its safe gambling policies.

Novomatic Facts & Figures

An undisputed gaming giant, Novomatic’s success hasn’t been by chance. No, it has been years and years of tireless work, and all those in the casino industry respect it.

To contextualize the management changes, it is pertinent to address some key figures that show the upward trajectory that Novomatic has been on.

Firstly, the Novmatic Group revealed an overall turnover of €2.9billion in 2022. Not only that, but there are also roughly 24,000 employees worldwide, and they have subsidiaries in 50 countries which only serves to underline its reputation as a gaming giant.

Apart from Asia, Novomatic targets further success in core markets, such as the US, and attempts to make a splash in Latin America. Its unyielding approach to improvement is something that has to be admired.

Final Thoughts

Ordinarily, management restructures are part and parcel of how companies operate. In many cases, they can spell a new direction in terms of the direction that a business wants to take in the long term.

For Novomatic, there is more than meets the eye. The reshuffle of personnel at the Novomatic Africa Group heralds an exciting moment for this arm of the company, and it is all about meeting its broader aims and goals.

The casino industry never stands still, which applies to Novomatic, which always tries to find new ways to engage with customers regarding playing slots.

Therefore, the restructural process is a significant step as Novomatic seeks to expand its presence on the global stage.