Aspire Global adds fresh talent to boost growth / An interview with Lars Kollind, Aspire Global’s Sales Director

Aspire Global’s new B2B sales director Lars Kollind on his new role, his new company and its future

Lars, as the newest member of the ASG sales team, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your professional experience?

I came to Malta a few years ago from Sweden. After a number of trips for business and pleasure, I could really see myself staying here. I love the culture, climate and the fantastic food, and the opportunity to base myself on this idyllic island, which has rapidly emerged as a key global tech hub, all played a big part in my decision to join Aspire Global. On a more professional note, I have been in the iGaming industry for over 13 years in various consultancy roles across marketing, product and affiliation, including iGaming executive expert, senior product manager, adviser and marketing consultant at various key iGaming companies. My experience covers both the strategic and operational dimensions of the online casino business. As founder and CEO of Kollind Consulting, I was able to offer my expertise and insights to a wide range of international iGaming clients, an experience I’ve enjoyed immensely.The more I learn about Aspire Global’s platform and range of solutions, the more convinced I am of our potential to become leaders in the field. I’ve also been well briefed on the company’s superb growth over the past years and am fully aware of the need to maintain this momentum by identifying new prospects, conducting negotiations and closing deals.

How much did you know about Aspire Global and its solution before you started working there?
I was well aware of Aspire Global’s reputation for providing a world-class white label solution for iGaming operators, combining all core services in one package. Until I made contact however, I didn’t fully appreciate the breadth and depth of the offering. It’s truly a complete solution which allows our partner operators to focus entirely on marketing and acquisition. Most turnkey platform providers don’t provide CRM or support services, whereas Aspire Global supplies the complete A-Z solution.This was one of the main aspects that reinforced my decision to join Aspire Global. Everyone needs the confidence that comes with genuine belief in the company they’re representing, and I’m certain I can achieve results and enhance the company’s reputation for delivering an excellent iGaming solution.

Can you tell us about Aspire Global from your point of view?
Many people like to describe their new company as being like a family, but in this case it’s entirely accurate. The company has a warm, informal and supportive atmosphere, but you can also sense the energy, drive and professionalism that have contributed to Aspire Global’s phenomenal success. Employees at every level interact on a daily basis, freely sharing their knowledge, ideas and insights. And on the social side, there’s a genuine rapport. Being able to spend quality time with other gaming professionals makes our day-to-day activities much smoother and more collaborative. We all possess the same ambition – to attain even greater success for the company and to develop our careers within an environment where our team-based and individual achievements are fully recognised and rewarded.

How do you see the company expanding in the next few years?
Aspire Global is already a major international company, and with the latest addition of a sports vertical to our platform, our iGaming solution is an even more attractive proposition for new and existing partners.
We work with three principal categories of companies: existing operators wanting to improve profitability, media companies with no background in iGaming that wish to leverage the strength of their brand to bring in new revenue streams, and affiliate entrepreneurs who want to move up to the next level.
ASG is able to offer flexible tools, a stable platform and a superb range of products, including apps, to meet the needs of all clients. I’m convinced our company has the potential to become the go-to complete solution provider for all operators, and in order to maintain our growth over the next few years we will continue to manage our successful outreach to companies which may wish to become white labels.
Everyone in the industry knows that regulatory requirements are becoming more stringent, no matter which market a company operates in. On the face of it, that might seem like a burden, but for ASG it represents a golden opportunity. We will keep searching for new markets to be regulated in, each one offering the chance for our partners to grow and for our solution to reach a wider audience.
We’re in the process of entering our sixth regulated market and there are a number of key new territories also on the horizon, both in existing regulated markets and ones that are soon to become regulated for the first time. This latter category is especially exciting, since territories like these are rich in opportunities for operators which are able to get everything right – from appealing bonuses and localised games and content, to perfect UI/UX and customer support.

How do you define ASG in comparison to other similar players in the market?
At Aspire Global, we believe that success goes hand in hand with professionalism, and that’s why we offer a solution which enables our partners to continue focusing on their areas of strength: marketing and acquisition, while we focus on our own areas of expertise. Our complete iGaming solution handles everything else, including support, CRM, VIP department, risk and fraud management, payments, regulation and compliance, leaving our partners to concern themselves solely with marketing efforts. After many years in the industry, I can say that very few competitors are able to provide such a complete solution, let alone to the standards we are able to offer based on our 10-plus years of knowledge and experience.
We are fully licensed in all major European markets including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Italy, Belgium and Malta, and constantly work towards reaching more markets that could be relevant for us and our partners. Our international support and VIP teams allow us to provide high-quality, localised customer service. We also strive to tailor our marketing offers for optimal fit and relevancy within each market.
Everything we do, we are doing to enable our partners to achieve their full potential. Each partner receives a dedicated professional account manager with us, who will assist with any requests, queries or general concerns on a day-to-day basis. We pride ourselves on these close relationships, and are aware that this is one of the main reasons why providers choose us again and again.

How do you see your role at ASG? If you had to describe your mission, what would it be?
I will be principally responsible for implementing the strategy set forward by the company in order to achieve its sales goals by continuing to offer the complete iGaming solution to operators in markets around the world.
I’ll achieve this by leveraging my extensive network of contacts, and by talking directly with new operators who are not yet acquainted with us, about Aspire Global’s solution and unique proposition – the fact that we offer a complete iGaming solution for operators and white labels.
I will explain the nuts and bolts of how we’re different and the simplicity we provide, demonstrating how every operator can save time and money, avoid headaches, grow their business and increase profitability.

What do you predict for ASG in 2017?
I think Aspire Global will cement its reputation as a leading player in the iGaming industry this year. 2017 is definitely going to be Aspire Global’s year, as we hit new heights in terms of partnership agreements. The signing of a contract with a new partner is the beginning of our journey together, as we walk through the entry into the iGaming world hand in hand, ensuring a seamless and successful start.
Some of our operators have been with us for over 10 years now, since the foundation of the company, and many of them are so pleased with their results that they keep opening new brands with us. I fully expect this trend to continue.
There will also be some very nice surprises for our partner operators over the next 12 months, so watch this space!