BMM Innovation Group (BIG), the international gaming testing organization, has added three executives to its C-Suite.
The company has named Microsoft and IGT veteran Kara Matthew as chief operation officer; and Laura Olson-Reyes, a 20-year veteran on the supply side of the industry, as chief marketing officer, both reporting directly to CEO Martin Storm. Brian Wedderspoon, a payment-solution veteran, has been named chief revenue officer.
Matthew holds over two decades of experience in gaming at Microsoft Xbox and International Game Technology (IGT), where she led global research and development and operational teams. More recently, she led delivery and operational teams at a global health care company with hundreds of staff across the world, where she played a key role in the growth and ultimate IPO of the company.
“I am super excited and honored to join the team at BIG during this time of record growth for the company,” Matthew said. “The BIG leadership team is exemplary, and I have a lot of respect for them as well as the company. BIG’s vision and values align with mine, and I believe in the company’s massive potential for continued growth and ongoing success. I am looking forward to being a key contributor to the advancement of our globalization as well as being part of a great organization.”
Olson-Reyes has served as a marketing and communications executive for Aristocrat, Bally Technologies/Scientific Games, and most recently as senior vice president of marketing for Eclipse Gaming Systems.
While at Eclipse, Olson-Reyes launched an influencer marketing program and grew the company’s social media presence by nearly 80 percent. At AGS, she designed a successful influencer marketing program and elevated the GameOn Customer Summit partnership program by raising nearly $100,000 in sponsorships.
While at Scientific Games, Olson-Reyes oversaw a groundbreaking partnership with FOX5 Las Vegas, which elevated the company’s branded slot games and raised over $1 million for nonprofits. She was also responsible for developing award-winning multi-channel marketing campaigns for the company’s games, systems and table games products, leading her team to win 35 awards for marketing and communications excellence.
Olson-Reyes has received industry recognition for her accomplishments through the Great Women of Gaming Proven Leader Award, the Women to Watch Award, and the Women World Award in The Communicator category.
“Laura is a wonderful leader and business executive,” said Storm. “With more than 20 years of gaming industry experience at Eclipse Gaming, AGS, Scientific Games (now Light & Wonder), and Aristocrat Technologies, she has excelled in market, product, and communications strategy internationally.
“At BIG, she will lead and globalize our growing marketing teams and business specialization to continue our rapid growth in digital and land-based gaming testing and certification, as well as our growing portfolio of technology solutions. Laura’s values and vision align perfectly with our business, and I look forward to her leading our marketing efforts for BIG.”
Olson-Reyes said, “I have always had tremendous respect for BMM’s brand—not only its strong legacy, but for its immense potential—and I could not be more honored to join Martin and his team at such an exciting time in the company’s growth. With such an exceptional and expanding portfolio of brands, I am excited to help shape the client experience and brand strategy of the BIG companies, as well as spearhead the communications strategies around BIG’s people, services and solutions.”
Wedderspoon has held key positions at MEI and CPI over the last 17 years. While at CPI, he first led the global initiative of product integration with all OEMs across all jurisdictions, resulting in the CPI portfolio being approved for use in all regulated gaming markets.
Wedderspoon then led the Americas sales team in the expansion into new markets and customers within the region, growing long-term share at a double digit CAGR rate. His success led to his promotion to vice president of global gaming, a role he held for the last five years. In this role, Wedderspoon continued the growth of CPI as the majority share leader in payment systems, expanded value-added cash management solutions, and introduced industry leading cashless payment systems.
“Brian is an outstanding leader and business executive,” Storm said. “In the area of integrated and automated payment technologies at MEI and then CPI, Brian grew market share from a standing start to a dominant position around the world. Brian has excelled in customer acquisition, growing share with the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
“At BIG he will lead and globalize our growing customer engagement to continue our rapid growth in digital and land-based gaming testing and certification, as well as our growing portfolio of technology solutions. His values and vision align perfectly with where our business is today and where it is going. I am so pleased that he chose BIG as his new home.”
“I am very excited to join BIG in this role,” Wedderspoon said, “working alongside Martin and the exceptional global team as we take the company into the next phase of growth. I have worked with many of the BIG team members over my past 17 years in gaming, and I am honored to be part of this outstanding group. The best is yet to come. Built upon a clear vision and company values, our well-defined strategic plan of globalization and expansion creates an exciting jump-off point for our future.”
Olson-Reyes and Wedderspoon will greet clients this week at G2E Booth 4408.
