Diego Verano Ponce explains how he came to CT Interactive, what his role is in the company and shares his goals in the Latin American market.
Interview.- Diego Verano Ponce is an expert with more than 15 years of experience in the gambling industry. He studied at the IPAE Escuela de Empresarios.
How did you become part of CT Interactive?
Since I have experience in both the landbased and online sectors, the director of business development in Latin America at CT Gaming – Georgi Koprinarov saw my profile on LinkedIn, called me and offered me a job in the landbase division. I told him that my wish was to stay in the online sector, so a few months passed by, and he offered me to develop CT Interactive’s activity in Latin America.
What does your department do?
Our main goal is to conclude and finalise numerous deals and to distribute our portfolio of games to customers in the igaming sector. We are always looking for new opportunities. We use a variety of strategies to maintain strong and professional relationships with potential clients and partners. With the account management team, we’re working on improving and optimizing the production of our active clients.
How would you describe your typical workday?
I start by checking the RGS reporting module to inspect our performance on all our endpoints, and then with the AM team, we follow up on all the actions we have defined for our clients. Afterwards, I start researching for new clients. Next, I follow up on the technical groups with which we are having integration process. During the day, I deal with a lot of paperwork for the closed deals, and I coordinate whatever is needed from the Bulgarian team.
What is your favorite part of the job?
Definitely, the communication part is the best. It feels great to talk and learn from industry experts, this helps you strengthen your network and improve your communication skills, which is essential when you lead negotiations with potential partners. I can say that concluding new deals brings me great satisfaction.
What’s the project you are working on currently?
There are several ongoing projects right now. I am currently focused on developing CT Interactive’s activity in Brazil because this is the biggest market as an independent country in Latin America.
What are the key skills required for your work?
To start, you need to have all the necessary business skills. My job is similar to that of a salesperson, so it is crucial to be good with people, to be outgoing, and to know how to develop a close relationship with your client.
The successful mix includes a combination of charisma, a strong personality, patience and the ability to know how to read people in order to define what actions to take. It also helps to be methodical and persistent.
What are you aiming to achieve at CT Interactive?
My desire is to continue developing the Latin American market and consolidate CT Interactive as a top provider in the region. Of course, this is a team effort, and everything from game development to account management is equally important.