Turning Obstacles into Opportunities: An interview with Iliyana Kassis, QG’s Operations Aficionado

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If you’re looking for the definition of a woman who knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go get it, meet Iliyana Kassis.?

With an indomitable spirit, razor-sharp wit, and vast experience in both the worlds of finance and iGaming, Ms. Kassis has gone from strength to strength in her professional career and all by having the rare mentality of turning obstacles into opportunities. Fearless and forward-thinking, Iliyana runs operations at Quantum Gaming with the same mentality, and the results speak for themselves.?

In today’s interview, we’ll go into a bit more detail on what makes Ms. Kassis tick, her observations about the industry, and what the future holds for both iGaming and Quantum Gaming. Check it out!

1. What would you say is your approach to Operations Management? Do you feel it’s better to micro-manage, delegate, or have the perfect mix, and how do you find the perfect mix?

In certain cases, people are used to being micromanaged and where that is necessary additional training internally or externally is provided. However, my personal opinion is that there should be as little micromanagement as possible in any successful enterprise. Giving people the opportunity to step up and take on responsibilities and building on their skills, knowledge, and confidence is what will make them the next generation of leaders.

1. Did you choose Operations or did Operations choose you??

I found out it is a rare skill to be able to switch between tasks quickly and to be able to follow up on several projects or tasks at the same time, so I honed my skills and chose the Operations field.?

1. Having worked in various industries, is there an aspect of iGaming Operations management that you find particularly exciting or challenging?

Coming from the financial industry, adjusting to iGaming took some time, but the essence in operation is to set the right path that allows the business to blossom and if we look at the current state of the Quantum Gaming team, we are well on our way to setting up optimal operations.?

1. What is your favorite part of being Operations Manager??

Curiosity and dedication are essential to expansion and development. Finding the right pieces of the puzzle keeps me excited every day. There is always something new to discover, figure out or need solving. I can’t wait for tomorrow to come with new challenges and the sweet taste of victory once those are in the past.

1. How do you ensure effective communication and collaboration between different departments or teams within an organization?

Daily meetings, weekly meetings or occasional ones, keeping the relevant people in the loop is one of the challenges most companies have, even if the whole team is in the same workspace.

It’s crucial for me to keep the synergy in the team and to ensure that everyone’s voice is heard. While our team is located in many different countries on different continents, they all know that there is no hierarchy and limitation, and every single person is able to approach someone that would be able to assist them to reach their goals or share their ideas. This way we try to build a more positive and constructive environment. There is no hidden strategy just taking each case by case and assessing the strengths, weaknesses and goals and building piece by piece.

1. What motivational methods do you implement in order to keep teams running smoothly and efficiently?

Trying to keep a positive workspace for people to be able to express themselves without judgment builds a great bond of trust. I believe I managed to earn the trust of everyone from the team and I say that only because they are coming with questions, concerns and feedback. I try my best to act with respect, honesty and transparency, and you’d be surprised how much of a positive effect on team motivation such an approach has.

1. Do you have any tools to recommend that make running Operations easier on a day-to-day basis??

I use tools to track tasks and workflow, as does every department individually. Collaboratively, we analyze data and set and adjust workflows according to what the most pressing needs of the company are.

Very often we are interrupted, or tasks change drastically so we need to be able to jump back and forth to get back on track, which is where detailed “book-keeping” proves critical. The exciting part of optimizing operations is juggling the wants and needs of everyone and avoiding bottlenecks, and I absolutely love taking on that challenge every day!

1. In your opinion, how will iGaming operations look in 10 years, and what do you see as the biggest areas for innovation in the field?

There are seismic shifts going on in the industry - developing markets are coming to the forefront, such as LATAM, yet-untapped parts of Asia, and Africa, and, with Quantum Gaming having set up operations in Brazil, The Philippines, and with an eye on the African market, we will very much be in on the action in the following decade. Additionally, the AI revolution is taking iGaming by storm, and I am quite excited to see all the ways in which the team and I will be able to implement it.??