SPORT BUFF has secured Nicklas Zajdel, the highly-experienced leader in gaming and online-betting, as both Partner and Investor.
The significant appointment for the award-winning gamification and on-screen engagement business, follows Buff’s successful delivery with global broadcasters at Qatar 2022 and announcement of $2.5million of seed funding in August 2022.
Nicklas Zajdel has over 15 years of experience in online betting and gaming, with extensive leadership experience across a wide range of territories including roles as Group Chief Operating Officer for Fortuna Entertainment Group, Managing Director (Digital) at Ladbrokes, Group Omni-Channel Director for Ladbrokes Coral group and VP Business Operations at Playtech Turnkey Services.
On joining SPORT BUFF, Nicklas Zajdel said:
“I’m thrilled to join Sport Buff as a partner and an investor. I share their vision of being the global leaders in engagement and activation, for digital broadcast and live streaming – and that belief is backed with my own investment.
“Buff has an innovative product, inspiring founders, a skilled and passionate team and exceptional potential whilst the benefits to broadcasters, sports and viewers are proven. Their real-time fan engagement experience is genuinely innovative, hugely enhancing engagement and monetisation opportunities for content partners.
“Starting straight away, I look forward to working closely with founders Benn and Jonty, the Board of Buff and the whole team, adding my experience from the betting and gaming sector and contributing to product evolution, revenue generation and operational excellence.”
Welcoming Nick to Buff, Founder and President Jonty Whitehead said:
“We’ve known Nick for a number of years and it’s exciting that we’ll now be working with him inside Buff, as a Partner in our leadership team and as an investor, helping to drive the next stage of our growth.
“He’s taken a keen, long-term interest in the development of our products, followed our journey and clearly likes what he’s seen. We also love what he can bring to this rapidly growing business.
“Buff’s expertise across broadcast and digital engagement is well-known and Nick will add further to our commercial and operational capabilities through his extensive experience in building partnerships, understanding of data, ability to create valuable transactions and knowledge of fuelling both B2B and B2C relationships.”
SPORT BUFF was founded in 2019 by tech entrepreneur Benn Achilleas [CEO] and global broadcast leader Jonty Whitehead [President]. Its latest successful investment round, concluded last summer, brought significant funding combined with the experience, connections and advice of additional investors, to further support its scale-up, reach new partners and deliver for viewers, brands and broadcasters.
With cutting-edge technology, proven operational delivery and deep experience in live sports broadcasting, the business has already worked with a range of sports rightsholders and broadcasters across a range of platforms including Web OTT, Android and iOS as well as Twitch and YouTube.
SPORT BUFF works for rightsholders, broadcasters and consumers as viewers are proven to play and stay with the coverage, then come back for more. Their on-screen graphics fit around the original broadcast to give viewers extra information, engagement and interaction – through posts, polls and quizzes – that enhance their enjoyment and understanding and allow them to win rewards and prizes. Broadcasters who use BUFF are proven to be able to increase viewing time, capture valuable data and drive greater engagement with their viewers, as well as create new on-screen sponsorship assets, helping them to better engage, retain and monetize their audience.
ENDS
For further information: chris@sportbuff.com or mobile +44 7885 891 967