Playson promotes insider to VP of Commercial Partnerships in strategic restructure
Malta-based iGaming supplier Playson has appointed Denys Koshel as its first VP of Commercial Partnerships, merging account management and emerging markets into one function.
Playson has created a new commercial leadership role from within. The Malta-based digital entertainment supplier promoted Denys Koshel to VP of Commercial Partnerships, a position the company says is designed to unify its account management and emerging markets efforts under one strategic function.
Koshel will report directly to Chief Commercial Officer Ben Wood. The new structure is meant to give Playson's operator partners more consistent, data-led support across markets, with faster decision-making, stronger campaign coordination and more targeted recommendations.
The appointment signals a shift in how Playson organises its commercial operations as competition among iGaming suppliers intensifies. Operators are demanding more than just games, they expect suppliers to act as strategic partners who understand their markets and can help them grow.
Koshel has been with Playson for nearly 11 years. He most recently served as Head of Emerging Markets and has held roles such as Commercial Analytics Lead, working closely on integration initiatives.
Wood said the new role is an important step in the evolution of Playson's commercial organisation. "This transformation is ultimately about improving how we support our clients, bringing our commercial capabilities closer together to provide operators with more connected, insight-led and business-focused partnership support," he said.
Wood highlighted Koshel's long tenure and broad experience. "Over nearly 11 years with the company, Denys has built a deep understanding of our partners, products, markets and internal operations. His combination of commercial, analytical and technical expertise makes him ideally suited to lead this new function."
Koshel said he is proud to take on the role at an exciting stage of Playson's growth. He acknowledged the pressure operators face. "Our partners operate in increasingly competitive and complex markets, and they need suppliers who can support them with more than content alone," he said.
His focus will be on building a commercial service model that is clear, efficient and genuinely valuable for clients. Koshel plans to combine market knowledge, data, AI-driven insights, promotional planning and operational discipline. He also intends to continuously optimise internal processes through AI adoption and automation.
"We can help partners make better decisions, launch stronger initiatives and get more value from Playson's portfolio," Koshel said.
For Malta's iGaming talent pool, the appointment is also a signal. Playson chose to promote from within rather than recruit externally, a move that may resonate in a sector where skilled commercial staff are in high demand and frequently poached by competitors.