Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/904009
maltatoday SUNDAY 19 NOVEMBER 2017 VIII Gaming Gaming Innovation Group (GiG): Puing its people at the centre of its fantastic companyculture What has brought you into iGaming in general and to GiG in particular? Most of my developer friends were already working in iGaming and were always going on and on about how fast paced and dy- namic the industry is. This made me curious and I decided to give it my best shot with GiG. Why? GiG has this cool vibe going on and feels very much the iGaming place to be right now. Hand on heart – do you feel that it is more difficult for women to get into tech-related roles and what do you see as the blockers? Truth be told, in my personal work experi- ences within the IT sector, I do not ever recall being denied an opportunity to work with a company just because I am a woman. However, I do believe that traditional stereo- types do have a role to play apart from the gender pay gap and basic work benefits such as flexi hours. Do you see any light at the end of the tunnel – what part do you see GiG play in their quest for gender equality and diversity in tech? Robin Reed, our CEO, recently mentioned during GiGsters Connect - our quarterly employee event - that currently 28% of the workforce at GIG are women, which in my opinion is a good starting percentage com- pared to other Tech companies. Yes, the per- centage should definitely increase - Robin in fact highlighted this. I'm glad to see that GiG are currently sponsoring the non-profit or- ganisation Girls In Tech (Gibraltar) to help further the education and opportunities for all women within the IT sector. Moreover, an internal discussion channel was recently created with the aim to tackle gender equal- ity and the channel is open to all employees within GiG – not just women. In what way does or doesn't GiG's company culture make it a desirable company to work for? The company culture at GiG is one of a kind. I visited the old offices at Ta' Xbiex twice before actually receiving a formal job offer and I have to say that I immediately felt comfortable. The people, the quality of the day-to-day work-life and the appeal of the projects at hand all contribute to having a great work environment. However, if I had to pick one I would say that GIG care a lot about their people - tech and non-tech - and their needs. GiG seems to be constantly investing in an improved work environment; most recently moving to state-of-the-art offices in St Julian's called "GiG Beach". What makes this office an inspiring work environment? Haha! For one, the office has a stunning view out onto St George's Bay! I am cur- rently having trouble leaving the office be- cause everything I need is within reach – free coffee, breakfast, lunch and healthy snacks, relaxation areas, an equipped gym, wifi and other little perks that support a good work- life balance. We also have a good number of meeting rooms and an auditorium for presentations and training sessions. GiG recently reported the 13th financial record quarter in a row. How do you personally experience GiG's growth since you've been working there? There's obviously the move into our stylish office GiG Beach. And lately, I am having a hard time keeping track of all the peo- ple joining the company across our many subsidiaries and operator brands to meet resource demands. I am also aware of the recent Rebel Penguin acquisition. Thus, GiG has now expanded to Copenhagen and is spanning 6 locations across Europe and even more offices filled by over 600 people in total, welcoming more GiGsters into the GIG family on a weekly basis. The biggest strength of GIG is its people. How does the company invest in its people and what are the benefits of working for GiG? I think I have touched on this in my previ- ous answers. GiG is going through great lengths in order to provide the inspiring work environment you need to be the best version of yourself. Does the company provide you with opportunities such as training and coaching to help build your repertoire of skills? Yes, to both. I have attended a number of knowledge sharing sessions and workshops organised by my colleagues this year. I also had the great opportunity to fly to Berlin for Selenium- Conf2017 at the beginning of November. The next conference coming up is SiGMA this week [Summit of iGaming in Malta - editor's note]. This event is taking place between 23rd and 24th November in the MFCC. GiG is a sponsor of SiGMA and participating in the confer- ence speaker panels. Maybe some of your readers are around for the integrated Careers Conference on 24th from 14:00 to 18:00 and want to check us out? [GiG stands S159/S170 and B66, ed.] Where do you see yourself and GiG another year or two down the line? I am positive that GiG will keep on expanding, not just in terms of human resources but also in terms of business opportunities. GiG aims to provide a con- nected platform and eco-system of services to open up iGaming for the benefit of all. And I believe we are getting there slowly but surely. Myself? Well, I will keep doing my Quality Assurance magic - which is to deliver high quality features for all our iGaming clients and any prospective ones. I also strive to become a senior QA expert and a woman leader within GiG. Ahead of the Summit of iGaming in Malta (SiGMA), we spoke to Developer in Test Sherrylene Gauci from Lija. At the beginning of the year, Sherrylene joined Malta-based Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) – one of the currently fastest growing companies in iGaming. With an eventful year drawing to a close, we want to hear her views and experiences as an accomplished "Woman in Tech" working alongside 400+ "GiGsters" in a fast-paced office environment in Malta. Sherrylene Gauci CEO Robin Reed