Meet Jana - Director of Finance
WHAT’S YOUR TIPICO STORY?
After working 15 years in Banking in Frankfurt and London, 3 kids and an everlasting love for Financials, I moved to Malta 6 years ago, to start out as the Finance Director at Tipico shortly after; and with this embarked on one of the best journeys of my life.
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST IMPRESSION OF TIPICO?
I worked in the Banking industry before joining Tipico and I didn't know what to expect from a company operating in the iGaming sector which is so different. I was blown away with how diverse and multicultural all the teams are and how dynamic the company is. This environment is what keeps motivating me every day, till today.
MENTION YOUR BEST MOMENTS WORKING HERE.
Where to start… I loved the many Tipico and Finance events we had over the last years as they were a great platform to exchange experiences, improve collaboration and simply have some fun. Bonding as a team and enjoying socialising is a part of our culture.
I really enjoyed giving team members opportunities to grow and have been happy about every promotion within our team; keeping in mind progress is also one of our company values 😊
Every end of the annual Audit makes me “crazy-happy”, all the successful Refinancing-exercises the team went through got us celebrating and of course the day when Tipico got their concession granted for the German market will be always a key milestone within my Tipico journey! We know how to win, we know how to work together, and we know how to have a good time so we always make time to celebrate our achievements after all the Spannung and hard work that we put in to get to the finish line.
WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FACE?
COVID has been one of the biggest challenges I faced, and nothing could prepare you for this. I worried about my family and of course my team’s health, safety, and the general transition into remote working. In hindsight, I didn’t need to worry; the teams have done an amazing job, kept delivering above and beyond…So the biggest challenge really and truly was to make them feel appreciated within the limitation of not seeing them daily in the office.
WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT TIPICO?
A lot of things, but to me personally - the Kindergarten. We have an incredible Kindergarten over a whole floor of the Tipico Tower - I'm not aware of any other company in Malta offering this and the space is fantastic! Sadly, we haven’t had the chance to open properly yet due to Covid but we're hoping it does very soon.
WHAT’S YOUR DAILY PITCH LIKE?
Against all “Accounting”-clichés, there is no such thing as a typical day in Finance at Tipico. The team’s remit stretches across a wide range of responsibilities – you could start the day with an enthusiastic meeting with an Auditor, speak to investors and rating agencies at lunch time and finish up with a deep dive into financial results.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TEAM
The Finance team is spread across 5 different locations and consists of 14 different nationalities. Despite not being able to see everyone in the office, I feel that the team has an enormous amount of trust and respect for each other, its essentially the glue holding us all together, setting the pace and keeping us motivated. Having previously worked in Germany and UK, I really love working with my Maltese team; they are a very nice and hardworking bunch of people… they haven’t taught me many Maltese words yet though… 😊
ARE YOU WORKING ON ANY EXCITING PROJECTS?
Tipico has an annual Strategy Roadmap, we call it the “Tipico House”. The strategy is cascaded in a way that all teams within Tipico are work together as One Team and pull in the same direction. Currently, we have a strong focus on building our US business; and I really enjoy being part of this start-up journey.
AS YOU KNOW WE LOVE SPORTS.. WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE?
I used to be a competitive swimmer but those days are well behind me now! These days I get my exercise on the Padel court and walking my Field Spaniel Rufus.
WHAT IS YOUR ONE PIECE OF ADVICE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF OUR GAME?
To me - the right attitude and passion for what you do is very important, more so than the picture-perfect CV. To let your drive and motivation shine through, it takes you a long way.