“Nothing is impossible when you are driven by passion and resilience”, believes Manali Jagtap. A global business leader with 25 years of experience in creative, marketing and communications, Manali’s professional journey has been a testament to her belief.

Hailing from Kolhapur, a small town in Maharashtra, Manali relied on her hard work and perseverance to build an illustrious career that spans continents. With credible experience of working across India, United Kingdom and Malta, Manali is a versatile and multifaceted leader. She is also an entrepreneur with proven expertise as a marketer and communications professional.

The astute business leader thrives on challenges, excels at ideating & developing solutions, and has a great ability to think outside the box. Currently Manali heads the India operations for Casumo, an online casino and sports betting operator in Europe. She is a strong proponent of the responsible gaming aspect in the gambling & betting industry.

Manali has been tasked with leading the company’s growth in the emerging India market; her cumulative experience makes her the perfect fit for the task. In an in-depth conversation with the Women Entrepreneur magazine team, Manali speaks to us about her versatile professional experience, her beliefs as a business leader and much more. Here are choice excerpts from the conversation.

Introduce Us To Casumo.

Casumo is an award winning online casino and one of the most distinctive and innovative online casino operators in Europe. Founded in Sweden in 2012, its mission has always been to design, improve, reinvent and shape the future of online gaming. The Casumo Group has a selection of online casinos including flagship brand Casumo, Dunder and Kazoom.

Casumo holds licences in Malta, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Spain, delivering innovative online gaming products in a safe and secure environment. Its operations are located in Malta, Barcelona and Gibraltar.

Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience That You Bring To The Table.

I was born & raised in Kolhapur, Maharashtra and I did my formative schooling at Holy Cross Convent School. I graduated from Sir J. J. Institute of Applied Arts, Mumbai and completed my Masters in Art & Politics with a distinction at Goldsmiths University, London. After my bachelors, my first job was with Alok Kejriwal’s Contest2Win, India, as a graphic designer.

After a year of working with Contest2Win, I went on to establish Red Ants Design Studio in Mumbai. An opportunity came by to work on publicity campaign for an Asian Film Festival (Filmi Fundas) that took me to London. After which, I set up Urban Guru Global Limited, London, a hub for design, marketing and communications. I am also a political artist and have showcased my work in the UK, Malta and India.

What Motivated You To Foray Into The Online Casino And Sportsbook Services Industry?

Malta is one of the leading places and pioneers for the I Gaming industry globally. This industry has been resilient during the Covid times and it made sense to move into this space. My past experience has been versatile and multifaceted. I have 25 years of experience in creative, marketing and communications in the United Kingdom, India and Malta.

"Advice for upcoming women leaders: be bold, be daring! Keep learning and reading every day, learn from your mistakes, take full accountability for your actions. Be honest, open and listen"

With experience from my own startup, business development, past graphic design – this varied, cross sector experience in business management and creative sector brings a unique perspective to the work at hand. With my cumulative experience, I was a natural fit. For me what is most important in the gambling and betting industry is the thorough responsible gaming aspect, which is abiding. This is taken extremely seriously by compliance and helps customers to play responsibly.

What Are The Various Roles & Responsibilities That You Currently Shoulder At Casumo? What Are Some Of The Most Challenging Aspects Of Your Role As The Country Manager? How Do You Overcome Them?

I Gaming is a fast growing industry, with cryptocurrency playing a big part and I get to work with my favourite country – India.

At Casumo, my role as the country manager for India, entails putting in place a robust strategic direction, being on top of the industry development, yearly budget, working closely with local entities, providing a healthy ROI and establishing our brand in the market. My role also requires me to propose new business opportunities and foster local partnerships.

With COVID-19 hitting, everything is perpetually virtual, so engaging via zoom & Google hangouts takes away the face to face interactions – which could be challenging. Having regular online meetings and aligning the teams, who sit in different parts of the world, is crucial.

What Have Been The Most Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved So Far In Your Professional Journey? How Do You Keep Yourself Well Aligned With The Periodic Evolutions Occurring Within Your Respective Field Of Work?

Beyond my professional accolades, I believe my ability to find and thrive on a balance between work, my personal development and investing quality time with my two boys, is one of my achievements. I believe that learning is an integral part of moving forward.

I often have conversations with people in the field and listen to inputs & ideas from all departments to keep myself well aligned with the changes within the industry. I also read news and take up short courses regularly to keep abreast with the latest technologies, and concepts.

Manali Jagtap, Country Manager, Casumo

Experienced, versatile and multifaceted creative/communications & marketing director with 25 years of experience in the United Kingdom, India and Malta.