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From Affiliate Manager to CMO — Leading Through Crisis, Regulation & Restructure
In this episode of the iGaming Leader Podcast, Leo sits down with Elen Barber, who went from affiliate manager to CMO at Kindred in just nine years, to explore what it really takes to lead through the industry's toughest challenges.
Elen shares the brutal reality of her first weeks as CMO: facing a £100 million fine, Swedish re-regulation, plummeting share price, and multiple rounds of restructuring that forced her to make impossible decisions about people she'd worked alongside for years. She reveals how she kept 550 people motivated while simultaneously having to cut headcount, and why the loneliness at the top hit harder than she expected.
About Elen Barber
Elen Barber has been working in the gaming industry for over 20 years and has witnessed its evolution from the wild west days to today's highly regulated landscape. She's held CMO roles at Super Group and Kindred Group, managing teams across multiple countries and dealing with everything from new market launches to regulatory curveballs. Based in London, she's passionate about how this industry continues to reinvent itself.
Key Topics Discussed
00:00 - Elen Barbers iGaming Journey
03:00 - Creating your own opportunities: you can't wait for your manager
08:00 - Why the higher you go, the lonelier it gets (and how to handle it)
14:00 - Wearing different hats: the two-chair technique for managing emotions
18:00 - Building trust: having your team's back and showing your true nature
22:00 - The worst crisis in company history hits in week one as CMO
26:00 - Managing multiple restructures while keeping people motivated
34:00 - Life after Kindred: why career breaks aren't always roses
36:00 - The pressure of being a perfect parent, perfect exec, perfect everything
41:00 - Quick fire Q&A: leadership advice, mistakes, and legacy
Memorable Quotes
"It is too easy to make money in our industry comparing to any other industries. The margins are much higher. So we are spoiled for this. It doesn't drive innovation."
"You also create opportunities, you don't wait for the opportunities to be created for you. You can't rely completely on your manager to get you through your career."
"And it is scary for the leader to understand and accept that suddenly you know significantly less than people within your team."
"I've been working all my life, and I didn't know how to relax, I missed that mental stimulation. "
"You really have to try to take emotions out of the business decisions because these things do not work together."
Connect with Elen Barber
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elen-barber/
Follow Leo Judkins & iGaming Leader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/
Newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/subscribe
Join the Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/apply
View all episodes
By Leo Judkins - Coach for iGaming LeadersIn this episode of the iGaming Leader Podcast, Leo sits down with Elen Barber, who went from affiliate manager to CMO at Kindred in just nine years, to explore what it really takes to lead through the industry's toughest challenges.
Elen shares the brutal reality of her first weeks as CMO: facing a £100 million fine, Swedish re-regulation, plummeting share price, and multiple rounds of restructuring that forced her to make impossible decisions about people she'd worked alongside for years. She reveals how she kept 550 people motivated while simultaneously having to cut headcount, and why the loneliness at the top hit harder than she expected.
About Elen Barber
Elen Barber has been working in the gaming industry for over 20 years and has witnessed its evolution from the wild west days to today's highly regulated landscape. She's held CMO roles at Super Group and Kindred Group, managing teams across multiple countries and dealing with everything from new market launches to regulatory curveballs. Based in London, she's passionate about how this industry continues to reinvent itself.
Key Topics Discussed
00:00 - Elen Barbers iGaming Journey
03:00 - Creating your own opportunities: you can't wait for your manager
08:00 - Why the higher you go, the lonelier it gets (and how to handle it)
14:00 - Wearing different hats: the two-chair technique for managing emotions
18:00 - Building trust: having your team's back and showing your true nature
22:00 - The worst crisis in company history hits in week one as CMO
26:00 - Managing multiple restructures while keeping people motivated
34:00 - Life after Kindred: why career breaks aren't always roses
36:00 - The pressure of being a perfect parent, perfect exec, perfect everything
41:00 - Quick fire Q&A: leadership advice, mistakes, and legacy
Memorable Quotes
"It is too easy to make money in our industry comparing to any other industries. The margins are much higher. So we are spoiled for this. It doesn't drive innovation."
"You also create opportunities, you don't wait for the opportunities to be created for you. You can't rely completely on your manager to get you through your career."
"And it is scary for the leader to understand and accept that suddenly you know significantly less than people within your team."
"I've been working all my life, and I didn't know how to relax, I missed that mental stimulation. "
"You really have to try to take emotions out of the business decisions because these things do not work together."
Connect with Elen Barber
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elen-barber/
Follow Leo Judkins & iGaming Leader
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leo-judkins/
Newsletter: https://www.igamingleader.com/subscribe
Join the Mastermind: https://www.igamingleader.com/apply