Light & Wonder has appointed former Aristocrat Gaming Executive Niaz Nejad as its new Managing Director of Gaming for the Americas.
Joining the company later this year, Niaz will be charged with leading the gaming firm’s American operations, driving growth across its gaming units as it continues to gather momentum post-lottery and sports betting sales.
Niaz was most recently SVP, and Head of Marketing of US and Canada at Aristocrat Gaming, during which she was responsible for the overall brand and marketing strategy, charged with “infusing innovation and creativity”.
“I have had the pleasure of working with Niaz within our industry for many years, and I know her values, industry and business experience, as well as her people-centric leadership approach are the perfect fit for our team,” said Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder CEO of Gaming.
“As we continue to grow in the Americas, and around the world, I can think of no one better than Niaz to help strategically lead us in the right direction.”
Previously in her career, Niaz was the COO of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission, where she established the provincial corporation’s strategic direction, corporate portfolio, digital transformation, and revenue forecasts.
In total, she boasts over 25 years of leadership experience in a range of industries such as IT, retail, banking and gambling. Light & Wonder noted that Niaz has a “proven track record” of delivering double-digit growth.
Light & Wonder, formerly Scientific Games, has sharpened its focus on gaming operations following the sale of its lottery unit to Brookfield Business Partners and its sports betting unit to Endeavour.
