FOCUS ON FINANCE
“ I enjoy working in a highenergy environment , and the gaming industry offers that and more .”
Moving to Tangam Systems in June 2022 opened a new window of opportunities .
“ Long before I joined , the idea of working for them appealed to me ,” says Hirst , who is director of casino optimization & analytics for the company . “ Tangam is a leader in the gaming analytics space , with exceptional people and a great company culture .”
His role permits Hirst to intersect with operators around the world , many of them leaders in the industry . Working remote from Auckland , New Zealand , Hirst also works to use his knowledge and experience in advanced analytics to develop solutions to both current and future issues gaming operators face .
“ I primarily work with clients across the Asia Pacific region . This requires a lot of travel ,” says Hirst , who relaxes by being home , given the extensive amount of travel he does . His schedule calls for many a 5 a . m . start to the day and trips to the Canadian headquarters .
Hirst can cite colleague after colleague who have guided him along the way , but one in particular is David Croft , senior vice president of gaming optimization and strategy at Tangam Systems .
Croft gave him his initial analytics job at Crown more than a decade ago . “ I had no experience , no qualifications and purple hair , yet he still gave me a shot . I have David to thank for much of my foundational knowledge in gaming and , as my current manager , he both supports and challenges me every day ,” says Hirst , whose hobbies include building items such as a Windsor chair .
One of Hirst ’ s mantras in his approach to work is a focus on what ’ s next . “ In five years , I ’ d like to still be focusing on ‘ what ’ s next ,’ and am looking forward to finding out what that is .”
Analytics is not going away anytime soon . The buzz around AI alone should keep the industry on a positive trajectory for years . And more operators have come to realize that data is king .
“ I ’ m excited to see how better data and more powerful analytical techniques change the landscape over the coming years ,” says Hirst .
Hirst can venture an educated guess or two . Changes in focus , for example .
“ In Australia and New Zealand , we ’ re seeing significant regulatory reform across every major jurisdiction , with increased focus on AML and responsible gaming . Across the world , online gaming is also changing the landscape .” — Bill Sokolic
FOCUS ON FINANCE
Boris Borisov • Vice President , Finance , Caesars Entertainment
It should not come as a surprise that students who immerse themselves in finance , accounting and economic courses while still in public school end up in professions that focus on finance , accounting and economics . Boris Borisov attended high school where the curriculum centered on math and did undergraduate work at the University of Economics in Varna in his native Bulgaria . He earned a bachelor ’ s degree in commerce economics in 2009 .
“ I ’ ve also always had a love for math and data analytics , and those skills have definitely helped me stand out in finance , especially during my time at Caesars ,” says Borisov , a native of Shumen , Bulgaria , who is vice president , finance for Caesars Entertainment .
Like a number of industry employees , Borisov didn ’ t first see himself working in the gaming industry . Once hired as internal auditor in 2015 , he was drawn to the fast pace of gambling , and Caesars ’ culture in particular .
“ I enjoy working in a highenergy environment , and the gaming industry offers that and more .”
“ I enjoy working in a high-energy environment , and the gaming industry offers that and more ,” he says . “ It ’ s a diverse business , with a lot of moving parts , which keeps things challenging and interesting .”
As for Caesars , he sees both the company and his colleagues as a second family . “ I ’ ve been fortunate to work with leaders who have recognized my values , performance , dedication and effort , and that ’ s played a huge role in my growth at the company ,” he says .
Borisov appreciates the number of mentors , formal and otherwise , who have impacted his career along the way . Michael Grey , senior vice president of finance , Sean McBurney , regional president , Derek Frost , vice president of finance , and Gene Lee , chief analytics officer , stand out . “ One lesson they ’ ve all emphasized is to stay humble and to remember that you ’ re only as good as your last performance . That mindset keeps me grounded and motivated every day ,” says Borisov , a veteran traveler , who likes to explore new places with his wife and young daughter .
The economic and financial side of the industry has relied more and more on technological transformation . Data , machine learning and AI are becoming increasingly important tools for tasks like forecasting and financial analysis . “ At Caesars , we ’ re already using these technologies to improve key financial processes ,” Borisov says .
In the wider industry , growth is expected to come from both online and brick-and-mortar gaming , driven by technology advancements . “ This will likely lead to more mergers and acquisitions , which will require financial leaders in the gaming space to develop new skills and adapt to evolving industry needs ,” Borisov says .
When asked if he had a fallback plan should the gambling industry not be the one , Borisov might have gone back to bartending , a profession he enjoyed as a side hustle during college . “ That was a lot of fun , and maybe I ’ ll go back to that after I retire .” — Bill Sokolic
NOVEMBER 2024 www . ggbmagazine . com 29