Kambi has appointed Michelle Unsworth as its new Chief People Officer, adding more than 20 years of international HR and leadership experience to the sportsbook provider’s senior team.

Based in London, Unsworth will oversee the company’s global people strategy, spanning recruitment, leadership development and employee engagement. She joins from online ID verification group Veriff, where as VP People she built and launched the company’s first global people framework.

Kambi CEO, Werner Becher, said: “Welcoming Michelle as our Chief People Officer reinforces our commitment to making people and culture a true strategic priority for Kambi. Michelle’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in fostering an environment where our teams can thrive, innovate and grow together. 

“As we continue to establish ourselves as the home of premium sports betting solutions, Michelle will play a central role in aligning our people strategy with our long-term business objectives, ensuring that our culture not only supports but accelerates our long-term growth ambitions.”

Unsworth’s career also includes senior posts at Expedia Group, Travelport and The Walt Disney Company, where she led large-scale cultural and organisational programmes. Her arrival also boosts female representation at Kambi’s executive level. 

Commenting on her new role, Unsworth added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Kambi, which has firmly established itself as a world leader in B2B sports betting provision. 

“The opportunity to work with such talented individuals and to build upon the company’s strong, people-focused culture is incredibly exciting. I look forward to helping empower this team to achieve even greater success.”

Financial boost

The leadership move follows a busy summer for Kambi, which in recent weeks strengthened its US footprint through a fresh partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation.

Under the deal, Turning Stone Enterprises will now migrate from its existing sportsbook supplier to Kambi’s Turnkey Sportsbook, including kiosks, POS terminals and the supplier’s popular Bet Builder product. 

The rollout covered Turning Stone’s three venues: Turning Stone Resort Casino, YBR Casino and Sports Book and Point Place Casino.

This news also followed the latest financial report from Kambi, which described its Bet Builder as a standout performer over the summer, helping push Q2 trading margins to 11.5%, above expectations despite a lighter sports calendar. 

The company also underlined its aforementioned Americas-focused strategy, with the Oneida deal complemented by a sportsbook extension with LeoVegas Group and a Turnkey partnership with RedCap in Panama and El Salvador.