Light & Wonder has hired Niaz Nejad to be its new managing director of gaming for the Americas. Nejad will assume her new role later this year.
Previously at Aristocrat, Nejad’s titles were senior vice president and head of marketing, tasked with strategic leadership and raising brand awareness.
Nejad’s pre-Aristocrat years included a stint as COO of the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis Commission. In this regulatory role, Nejad was responsible for the company’s provincial gaming and cannabis strategic direction, corporate portfolio, digital transformation, and revenue forecasts. She oversaw $1.4 billion in annual revenue derived from slot machines, video lottery terminals, electronic bingo, and lotteries. She also was responsible for marketing.
In a 25-year career, Nejad has worked in information technology, retail, financial services, cannabis, and gaming. According to Light & Wonder, she has “a proven track record of success for driving double-digit growth and delivering on behalf of the business for customers.”
Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s CEO of gaming, said, “I have had the pleasure of working with Niaz within our industry for many years and I know that her values, industry and business experience, and people-centric leadership approach are the perfect fit for our team.” (Like Nejad, Lane is a recent veteran of Aristocrat.) She continued, “As we continue to grow in the Americas and around the world, I can think of no one better than Niaz to help strategically lead us in the right direction.”
