The event is shaping the conversation around HR, wellbeing, culture, and leadership within the iGaming sector.
GamingMalta once again joined NEXT.io as participating entity at HR Connect, which brought together HR leaders, recruiters, and industry decision-makers under one roof for a shared conversation. The event took place across the first day of the popular summit, which took place earlier this week at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.
This year’s event kicked off with a short intervention from Project Director Heidi Lofthus, who introduced GamingMalta CEO Ivan Filletti for his opening address. Ivan opened by sharing a frank personal anecdote about a recent health scare. Speaking about how life, and health, can put the pressures of an intense sector into perspective, Ivan’s message was clear:
“iGaming is a healthy sector, and GamingMalta will continue supporting it, but the people driving the industry also need to take care of their physical and mental wellness. HR Connect offers us a forum and an opportunity to discuss the issues and the challenges of the sector, while focusing on solutions and new ideas. However, and equally importantly, it also offers us a space to reflect on our physical and mental wellness,” he stated.
The event continued with a series of interactive panels and workshops. Olympian, Ultra Distance Swimmer, World Record Breaker & Ocean Activist Neil Agius was next to continue building on the topic of wellbeing with a session titled The Ocean Mindset. Neil guided participants through a series of building exercises, explaining how these can help us find our focus even in extraordinarily challenging circumstances. Using his attempt to swim from Mallorca to Ibiza as an example, Neil also touched upon the realities of coping with failure, and the feelings of shame that these can give rise to.
Recruiters vs HR?
The day saw a total of eight sessions taking place, with David Ozi Borg (Co-Founder of BigWig Headhunters) taking the stage next to tackle the relationship problem nobody wants to talk about: HR versus Recruitment. Ozi discussed a number of elements that typically lead to a hire failure, including incomplete briefs, slow feedback, and even employing multiple recruiters for the same role.
Tech & HR
EvenBet’s session with Nikita Akulov and Daria Fot focused on how a tech-driven iGaming industry shapes HR, growth, and culture. The company’s growth from 87 to over 200 people was presented as the result of a strategy that doesn’t simply follow trends. Instead, the company took the route of using remote work strategically, tracking performance through trust and results, and investing in both recruitment and internal talent development. The strategy helped EvenBet retain 60 of the 87 people who were already part of the organisation in 2022.
From Average to Awesome
Alexander Grabner-Jarlung, Graveyard Speaker and Founder of SPEAKERx @ HeadGain, followed with another interactive session focusing on how to improve communication by moving away from self-focused habits and learning to understand the other person’s “why”. Participants explored common communication mistakes by staging live scenarios. The five biggest pitfalls were identified:
- Making it all about us.
- Not really listening – creating an emotional connection helps.
- Not minding our body language – it’s imperative to communicate the right things!
- Not being present – a killer in any high-stakes meeting.
- Doing things for the wrong reasons.
Changing Mindsets About HR
How does HR evolved into a people function to encourage people to give their best? This was the question tackled by Aarti Carl, Chief People Officer at Eeze. Aarti drew on her own experience to detail how adjusting the approach can help change perceptions of HR and create stronger support for employees. Topping the list were the following:
- Actually listening to complaints
- Understanding pressure points
- Building relationships
- Bringing strategic partners on board
Aarti’s session, titled I Don’t Like HR: A Story of What It Takes to Change Mindsets, also explored what can be achieved when this change is achieved.
The Question of AI
Tatiana Bogolyubskaya (Head of HR, Aviatrix) tackled one of the biggest ethical dilemmas we’re facing today in the industry. Are humans better managed by AI? AI can hire, train, monitor, evaluate and even terminate employees. So what is left for HR in the employee cycle?
For her Artificial Intelligence vs. Real Humanity session, Tatiana delved into whether foregoing AI is a scalable solution for HR. Worth noting is research that has shown how many AI agents are being trained to copy what the human HR is doing. This points towards two things: there’s still a human at the centre, and the interpretation doesn’t always work as would be expected.
That said, the takeaway here is not that HR is opposing AI – it’s about HR taking the driver’s seat and steering with confidence.
When HR & C-Level Alignment Works
Alexia Frendo (Global People Partner, FDJ United) took the stage for the Leadership Partnership: When HR & C-Level Alignment Works session. Alexia highlighted the positive impact of strong C-Level support for HR, proving how a mutually beneficial relationship elevates both leadership and people strategy.
During the session, Alexia drew on her own experiences after having gone through various organisation restructurings throughout her career. She also referred to studies which showed that when HR and leadership work together, culture becomes a competitive advantage. The flip side, she concluded, is that when there’s a disconnect cultural risks can become financial risks.
Supporting The People Behind The People
This year’s edition of HR Connect came to an end with a valuable session by Christine Hili (HR Consultant & Advisor | Warranted Systemic Psychotherapist), whose session offered HR professionals a structured space to turn the lens on themselves. Christine started off by sharing some sobering statistics released by the HR Mental Wellbeing Report 2025:
- 78% of HR professionals are experiencing or risking burnout
- 44% meet the criteria for clinically significant depression
- 44% report exhaustion very often at work
Christine followed up with an interactive workshop during which participants were invited to engage in a series of mental exercises, focusing on the emotional and physical work they carry out. The session closed with a series of strategies for HR professionals to improve their work-life balance and to set up healthy boundaries.
GamingMalta’s continued participation in HR Connect reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting the talent pillar within Malta’s iGaming ecosystem as it continues to contribute to the conversations that help attract and retain the people driving the industry forward, while positioning Malta as a stable and welcoming place for international talent to build their careers and their lives.
GamingMalta is a participating entity of HR Connect, which is part of Next.io Malta.
