Valentina Bagniya: "Leadership is not a position. It is a responsibility. And it starts long before you receive a management title"

Valentina was recently named Woman Leader of the Year at the Casino Guru Awards 2026. In this conversation, she talks about what the award really represents and how she helped build SOFTSWISS's global marketing function from the ground up.

Q: Valentina, to start us off with the same question we’ve asked all this year’s winners: How does it feel to win the Casino Guru Awards 2026 in the category Woman Leader of the Year?

My first reaction was a mix of gratitude and reflection.

Of course, it feels wonderful to receive such recognition from the industry. But after the initial excitement, I found myself thinking less about the award itself and more about the responsibility that comes with it.

Recognition inevitably makes you more visible. It means people pay attention not only to your results but also to how you lead, how you communicate, and how you treat others. That is something I take seriously.

I am also deeply grateful to the team I have had the privilege of building and working with over the years. Their talent, commitment, and achievements are a huge part of this recognition. While my name may be on the award, it reflects the work of many people who contribute every day.

Finally, I appreciate that the Casino Guru Awards continue to highlight female leadership in our industry. iGaming and technology have made significant progress, but there is still room for more women in leadership positions. The more visible successful female leaders become, the easier it is for other women to see that these roles are not only possible but attainable.

So more than anything, this award feels like a moment to be grateful, to reflect, and to continue setting a positive example through both results and actions.

Q: Do you think women leaders in iGaming benefit from having dedicated recognition platforms for their achievements, and how important are awards like this in that context?

I don’t think the long-term goal should be to have separate recognition categories forever. In an ideal world, leadership would be evaluated solely on impact, results, and contribution, regardless of gender. The ultimate measure of progress will be the day when dedicated categories are no longer necessary because equal visibility and equal recognition have become the norm.

However, I don’t believe we are there yet.

Awards like these play an important role because visibility matters. Talent alone is not always enough. People need examples they can relate to, learn from, and aspire to.

What I particularly appreciate is that these awards shift the conversation from representation to achievement. They are not celebrating women simply for being women; they are recognising business results, leadership, innovation, and impact. That distinction is important.

For me, the value of awards like this is not in creating separation. It is in accelerating the journey towards a future where leadership talent is recognised equally, wherever it comes from.

Q: What are the main challenges women still face in the industry today? Would you say they are primarily cultural, structural, or something else?

I don’t think the challenge can be explained by a single factor. Some barriers are structural, some are cultural, and some are simply the result of deeply ingrained expectations that people often don’t even notice.

A good example comes from a panel discussion on women’s leadership that I recently participated in. During the Q&A, a woman in the audience asked us: "What is it like to sacrifice your family for your career?"

What struck me most was not the question itself, but the assumption behind it. How often do we ask successful men what they sacrificed for their careers? How often do we assume that professional achievement must come at the expense of family life when we are talking about male leaders?

That is why I believe one of the biggest challenges today is not necessarily overt discrimination. In many organisations, opportunities have improved significantly. The challenge is often more subtle. We still tend to evaluate men and women through slightly different lenses, ask different questions, and hold different expectations.

The good news is that these things can change. The more diverse leadership becomes, the more we stop talking about "female leaders" and simply talk about leaders. To me, that is what real progress looks like.

Q: Over the past decade, how do you feel the iGaming industry has changed in terms of career progression and upward mobility, particularly for women?

One of the most encouraging changes I have seen is that women in leadership are no longer viewed as exceptions in our industry.

When I look at conference stages, executive teams, and industry awards today, I see far more women in decision-making roles. We are not where we ultimately want to be, but the direction of change is clear.

What has also changed is the definition of leadership itself. Historically, leadership was often associated with a very specific style. Today, organisations are becoming more open to different approaches, perspectives, and ways of leading teams. That creates more opportunities not only for women but also for stronger, more diverse leadership overall.

Technology and remote work have certainly contributed to this progress by making careers more flexible and accessible. However, I do not think flexibility is the most important change. The most important change is visibility. The more people see women leading companies, departments, and strategic initiatives, the more normal it becomes to imagine women in those positions.

Progress creates progress. Every visible example makes the path a little clearer for those who come next.

Q: You’ve built an impressive career in marketing, including your role as CMO at SOFTSWISS. What do you think were the key factors that enabled your growth to that level?

If I had to identify one factor, it would be my willingness to build rather than maintain.

Throughout my career, I have always been drawn to situations where there was no ready-made solution: new markets, new categories, new teams, new challenges, or entirely new functions that needed to be created from the ground up. Building something from scratch forces you to learn faster, make decisions with imperfect information, and take responsibility for outcomes.

Another important factor has been learning to connect marketing with business objectives. Early in my career, I realised that marketing becomes far more influential when it moves beyond campaigns and communications and starts contributing to business growth, strategic decisions, and long-term competitive advantage.

I have also been fortunate to work in organisations that taught me the importance of structure and discipline. My experience at companies such as Nestlé and British American Tobacco helped me understand how strong businesses are built, how strategy is translated into execution, and why sustainable growth requires both creativity and operational excellence.

Finally, I have never been afraid of ambitious challenges. Joining SOFTSWISS and building a global marketing organisation from scratch was one of them. Looking back, I think growth happens when you consistently choose opportunities that stretch your capabilities rather than confirm them.

Q: Finally, what advice would you give to women currently building their careers in the industry?

My advice would be to focus less on titles and more on impact.

Early in our careers, it’s easy to think about the next promotion, the next role, or the next step on the organisational chart. In my experience, the people who grow the most are those who focus on solving meaningful problems and creating value for the business.

Don’t limit yourself to your job description. Learn how your company works beyond your own function. Understand the commercial side of the business, learn how decisions are made, and develop the ability to connect your work to broader business outcomes.

I would also encourage women to actively seek challenges rather than wait until they feel completely ready. Many talented people underestimate themselves and postpone opportunities because they think they need one more course, one more year of experience, or one more proof point. Confidence often comes after you take on the challenge, not before.

Finally, remember that leadership is not a position. It is a responsibility. Long before you receive a management title, you can demonstrate leadership through initiative, accountability, curiosity, and the way you support the people around you.

Careers are rarely built through a series of perfectly planned steps. More often, they are built by consistently choosing growth over comfort and responsibility over certainty.

Image credit: Casino Guru News