This International Women’s Day, White Label Casinos proudly shines a spotlight on the extraordinary women that have played pivotal roles in shaping our success.
While this day is a opportunity to acknowledge the achievements of women worldwide, our focus extends beyond the calendar, as we recognise the contributions of the inspiring women within our own ranks.
Join us on a journey through the remarkable stories of five women who have not only navigated the challenges of their careers but have also left an indelible mark on our company’s trajectory.
Jordan Foxwell
Director of Internal Operations
Cristina Cosnita
Data Protection Officer
Debbie Cooper
Director of Client Operations
Mary Morales
Head of Customer Support
Niamh Carberry
Head of Marketing
1. Tell us about your career journey at White Label Casinos and what it means to you.
I’ve been at the company for over 5 and a half years now and funnily enough, I started out in a sales role under Phil’s leadership, but my background was in recruitment and HR.
At that time, the company (then iGaming Group) was still in its startup phase and had minimal HR processes in place. Recognizing an opportunity, I started offering suggestions; calling on my experience in HR. This proactive approach led to me assuming the role of Senior HR Advisor with the chance to become the Head of HR within a year, based on proven results.
I embraced the challenge wholeheartedly, and was eager to build something meaningful from the ground up. Now, five years on, I’ve just been made Director of Internal Operations. It meant everything to be given such a rare opportunity and to be fully trusted to show my worth to the business.
White Label Casinos has offered us all the opportunity to do better. Most of us grew up in the the wild west of iGaming, back when regulations or rules didn’t exist or when they were surely not enforced.
The industry has changed a lot since, but there are companies still stuck in the same mindset. The WLC team is young (but – wiser than most in the sheer experience level of the team) and the company encourages people to make the changes they’ve always wanted to see happen.
We focus a lot on internal promotions – once people start understanding the business, receive proper management and are confident – they have the freedom to foster their own place in it, and to find their passion. When you’re trusted to do what you’re passionate about, we can (and do) move mountains.
My journey at White Label Casinos began in November 2021, when I joined as Head of Account Management. I felt right at home because I joined a team that I already knew well from when they were one of my clients.
In early 2023, I also took on the responsibility of managing the games and promotions team and last July, established a brand new first-level support department which lead me to move into the role as Head of Client Operations, managing three core client-facing teams. Now being promoted to Director of Client Operations after navigating through these transformative years is truly humbling and exciting, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead! I’m grateful to have grown so much with an incredible group of people.
It was a sunny hot day back in June 2020 when it all started… 😂 Since that day no two days have been the same. I have learned so much and when I look back and see the progress and growth, it makes me smile to know that I have contributed.
Believe it or not, I started out in a crypto marketing role back in 2022. I fancied myself the next big crypto marketeer. Well, not quite but explaining that to my family was entertaining in itself. Since then, I’ve navigated a few more marketing roles from focusing on Employer Branding to becoming Marketing Manager, ultimately resulting in my recent promotion to Head of Marketing at White Label Casinos.
To have been given the opportunity to become HOD this early in my career has meant the world, and while it’ll be a massive learning experience, I’m really excited to discover what the role has in store and to make my mark on the department and the brand.
2. What projects or aspects of your work do you feel have had the most significant impact on your personal and professional growth, as well as the company’s success?
One of my biggest achievements has been the development of the HR team. My journey in HR began alongside the Office Manager, who collaborated with me every step of the way. Today, I’m proud to witness her ascent into the role of HR Manager. Seeing my team succeed spurred me on to further grow the department to foster new opportunities and so I could retain the amazing talent I had throughout their careers.
The need to deliver to standards I could be proud of pushed me (there is no way you can say ‘I don’t know’ to a client who trusts you with a part of their business, right?) into research and discovering new approaches. This meant acquiring new certifications, becoming a Fellow of Information of Privacy and a Professional member in the International Compliance association, as well as attending as many conferences as possible, to make sure the advice we provide is always the best in the industry.
One of the most rewarding aspects has been the creation of the departments’ processes and procedures from scratch. It not only gave me a chance to dive into the core of what the department’s responsibilities were, but also empowered my team members to share their knowledge and expertise which has been extremely fulfilling to witness.
Of course, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing and there’s been some tough lessons learnt along the way. Understanding how to say no when necessary, and embracing failure as part of the learning process is an ongoing journey.
Since day one, my focus at White Label Casinos has been on elevating the CS team. Despite the initial challenges, I’ve expanded my skill set into project management, 3rd party tool integration, regulatory matters, and customer experience. I have learned so much about myself and my capacities during these years, which has helped me become the leader I am today.
Professionally and personally, getting out of my comfort zone and learning how to set up a chat tool from scratch with little to no technical knowledge, has allowed me to give myself a pat on the back, which is not something I do too often.
However, the most meaningful part of this journey has been becoming the leader I have always wanted to be; learning how to empathise, listen and uplift others to become their better selves.
Something that has made the biggest impact on the marketing we do is the creative freedom we’re granted. Be it from making bizarre TikTok style videos, some including a chicken laying an egg (yep – see here), memes making fun of the industry or even our own teams (all in jest, of course), to having a literal duck as our brand mascot and bringing him to life in inflatable form at one of the biggest iGaming events out there- it’s clear we don’t have to go through twenty rounds of approvals in order to get something out there. Having that level of trust with the brand is something special.
As we grow, we want this to be one of our distinct brand codes- something that people instantly recognise as ‘White Label Casinos’. We’re getting there, and hearing comments from industry peers at events about our marketing and ‘out-there’ approach spurs us on to keep doing what we’re doing and making what could be a bit boring and corporate, more fun, playful and memorable.
3. Can you reflect on a specific moment where you faced obstacles? How did you navigate those challenges, and what did you learn?
As I grew as a Head of Department, I took the opportunity to learn from industry peers while adapting to evolving challenges. During this time, the pandemic hit and presented a unique opportunity to tailor our business strategies. This was not without its difficulties, but the way we banded together to ensure our workforce was supported throughout is something I can be proud of today.
The main challenge came from having a widely international team (over 30 countries and counting!) – each coming with our own sociological luggage and frame of mind, with our own speed of work and approach. Admittedly, in the beginning, it was a challenge for us to get on the same page.
However, once that initial obstacle was out of the way – we were able to turn this into a huge advantage as each angle is an opportunity to better understand market needs from different points of view. We learned from each other’s experiences which enabled us to offer clients tailored services. It became one of our greatest strengths, and I’m confident that because of it nothing can stand in our way now.
Well, I certainly have more white hair than I did in 2021! One of the toughest periods was definitely when we created White Label Casinos as a standalone business in late 2022. Two-thirds of my team remained at IGG, which was challenging operationally but also mentally.
I made the decision to step back into my Account Manger shoes to directly handle one of our biggest clients to ensure that our service kept running smoothly, whilst also training up new team members and running two departments. This lasted for about eight months and was probably one of the most valuable experiences I could have ever had. A blessing in disguise. It gave me a whole new perspective of what challenges my team and our clients face…or as the title of my future autobiography would read ‘How to Kill a Cactus: A Crash Course in How Not to Go Mad.’
Have we had challenges? Plenty of them, sure. But what makes me very proud, is the fact that we work with a fully remote team, and it not only works but excels. Having close to 40 people scattered all over the world, in different time-zones, different cultures… in a 365/24/7 operation… is one huge challenge and clear communication is key here.
We are lucky to have a team of amazing agents, seniors, team leads and managers. It wouldn’t be possible without their commitment.
Developing and building the White Label Casinos brand was definitely the most challenging project we’ve worked on so far, purely due to the fast turnaround that was required. After the decision was made to become a standalone company, we had less than three months to bring WLC to life. Which meant building the brand from scratch, a brand-new website, social channels and all the bells and whistles that go with creating a new company from the marketing POV (*hint*, there are a lot). We were handling (almost) everything in-house as well with a small team.
While the most challenging project, it was certainly the most rewarding, as the team was propelled into new territories, and we took so much away from the experience. Fueled by a lot of coffee, long slack calls and a lot of lo-fi beats on YouTube.
4. Have there been personal milestones or moments of growth during your time at WLC that you’d like to share?
The company has seen me through all my personal and professional milestones. But becoming a mother, while also being so focused on my career, has had the biggest impact. I am extremely privileged to have had a flexible maternity leave that allowed me to focus on being a mum while also focusing on my career, on my terms.
My personal and professional life is very intertwined which is challenging in itself but it’s also brought with it some wonderful life lessons that I am eternally grateful for. My colleagues have now become friends and while there have been (many) sleepless nights where the rest of my life took a backseat, it’s fueled by sheer love for what I do.
In fact, there’s a running joke in the office that if someone’s life depended on someone else replying to a message at 3 am they would reach out to me. Just don’t get me on a 9 am call 😄 I wouldn’t have it any other way though. I love the WLC madness.
Time goes by and so does life! I relocated to Malta with my 3 sons, tried to navigate bureaucracy to enroll them in school and not die in the attempt! But it’s been so worth it in the end, as the school system here is excellent. I separated, found love again, got 3 cats, gained a few too many pounds and even get an awesome tan in summer! What’s not to love?
I’ve moved country twice during my time at the company; from Malta to Dublin, and from Dublin to Copenhagen. Having the peace of mind that working fully remotely was never going to be an issue made everything seamless from day one, as I started at the company and moved just a few weeks later. The freedom to work from wherever I want (within reason) is something I’m grateful for and I know a lot of people would die for.
5. Finally, is there a woman that has inspired you in your career so far?
I have had the pleasure of working alongside Sandra Bartolo, our Director of Product and Regulatory, for three years now and I have always looked to her as an inspiration. Her knowledge is next to none, and I have her to thank for helping me navigate the next step in my career within operations.
I won’t give names; I don’t have signed consent. That’s the DPO in me! However, I need to mention all the working mothers that navigate family responsibilities and all that comes with it, all while managing daily work stresses. These incredible women always take the time to go the extra mile with their teams, giving support where needed and showing up despite external challenges.
*For the record, all this applies to the men as well. Today is all about the ladies, but to gentleman as well, Chapeau!
Too many to mention but if this was a dating question then I certainly have a type – strong, assertive women who are ambitious yet support others along the way. My team is also comprised predominantly of women who are incredible and inspiring in their own way – Andrea the voice of reason, Jelena the voice of sass, Kristina the voice of empathy, Helen and Jennifer the voices of calm and action, Emily the voice of upper-class Britain, and Luisa the voice of fiery Italian hand gestures! They bring the sparkle, smarts and humour to the client ops team.
I can think of so many amazing women that have been an amazing inspiration to me, Oprah, Louise Hay, Sophia Ionescu, Mary Putnam…
All of them made amazing discoveries, helped others, excelled in their fields but most importantly, they overcame poverty, abuse, hardship, and many times the blocks imposed by the patriarchy.
But besides these amazing women, I am blessed to work with the amazing, super talented ladies at WLC! I learn from them every day and I am so grateful to work alongside them.
I consider myself extremely lucky to have worked alongside some amazing and inspiring women since I started my career, both at White Label Casinos and otherwise. Based on the stats, marketing is often heavily female-led but on a more junior level, with more men taking up the executive roles. This is something I hope to see levelling out as time goes by, but if the women I’ve worked with so far are anything to go by, we’d be in expert hands being led by them.