Exclusive: Why Sustainable Growth Starts with Better Partnerships, Says Milica Jovanovic

The iGaming industry is becoming increasingly global, but sustainable growth still depends on local execution, trusted partnerships, and disciplined commercial strategy. As operators and technology providers expand across regulated and emerging markets, success requires much more than signing new clients-it requires building relationships that create measurable long-term value.

In this exclusive interview with iGaming News Today, Milica Jovanovic, reflects on her journey across operations, account management, international partnerships, and executive leadership, and shares her perspective on commercial growth, localization, leadership, AI, and the future of B2B iGaming partnerships.

Q1: Your career has evolved from regional operations management and account management to international partnerships and, ultimately, the role of Chief Business Development Officer at Atlaslive. Looking back, which experiences and turning points have shaped you into the commercial leader you are today?

Milica:

Each stage of my career shaped a different aspect of the commercial leader I am today.

I entered the iGaming industry around ten years ago as a Regional Operations Manager at MaxBet, now part of Flutter Entertainment. Leading a team of more than 30 people taught me that even the strongest strategy can fail if people don’t understand the vision, believe in it, or see how their work contributes to the company’s goals.

I then moved into the B2B side of the industry as an Account Manager, where I learned that building trusted partnerships requires much more than relationship management. It means understanding the product, regulatory requirements, clients’ business models, and identifying opportunities for long-term growth. Working across Europe, Africa, Latin America, and North America also taught me to keep a global perspective while adapting to local market needs.

The biggest turning point came when I joined Atlaslive as a Business Development Manager and later became Chief Business Development Officer. There, I managed the full commercial cycle, from negotiating with technology partners to developing market strategies, supporting international expansion, and building commercial teams.

Those experiences shaped my leadership style that is direct and transparent, but also ambitious, and highly collaborative. I set challenging goals, but I make sure people understand why those goals matter, how they contribute and how their work connects to the broader business vision.

Q2: Having negotiated and closed more than 300 commercial agreements throughout your career, what have you learned about creating partnerships that deliver measurable and sustainable value for both sides?

Milica:

Signing more than 300 agreements doesn’t automatically define success. Sometimes one strategic partnership creates more value than ten smaller ones, while other agreements never move beyond paper.

What really matters is setting clear and realistic expectations from the beginning. Both sides need to discuss pricing, implementation, timelines, potential challenges, and how those challenges will be resolved.

A partnership should remain active even after the contract is signed. Regularly reviewing results, adapting the commercial model, and planning the next steps are essential. For me, successful partnerships are built on transparency, honesty, and measurable value for both sides-not one party benefiting at the expense of the other.

Q3: You have driven commercial growth across Europe, Latin America, Africa, and North America, working in both regulated and emerging markets. How do you adapt a global growth strategy to the commercial realities, regulatory requirements, and player expectations of each market?

Milica:

A global growth strategy provides direction, but it cannot be applied the same way in every market.

Before entering a market, I first evaluate whether it’s commercially viable by looking at regulation, taxation, competition, payment infrastructure, and product readiness. From there, we build realistic profitability forecasts.

The next step is localization, which goes far beyond translating the platform. It’s about understanding how local players want to play, pay, and communicate. For example, many African markets require strong mobile accessibility and retail presence, while Latin American markets often depend  heavily on local relationships and payment methods.Regulated European markets, meanwhile, demand a strong focus on compliance and product adaptation. 

My role is to connect the global business objective with local execution.

Q4: As Chief Business Development Officer, your role extended far beyond winning new business. How do you evaluate which opportunities can genuinely contribute to a company’s long-term growth and profitability?

Milica:

I evaluate every opportunity from several angles.

Internally, I assess whether we have the right licences, payment solutions, product capabilities, and resources to support the project. Externally, I look at whether the client’s goals align with ours, who is behind the project, and whether they have a realistic business strategy and investment plan.

I also look beyond immediate revenue. I consider whether the partnership can scale across additional products or markets, strengthen our market position, and contribute to sustainable profitability over the long term.

Q5: You have built and led commercially focused teams while managing ambitious international growth targets. What’s your approach to creating a culture of ownership, accountability, and high performance while maintaining trust and motivation?

Milica:

I believe every great organisation starts with strong leadership.

Leaders should continuously invest in their own development because talented people naturally gravitate towards leaders who inspire growth and recognise results. When employees understand how their contribution matters and how they’ll be rewarded, they’re much more motivated to perform.

I also believe high performance starts with clarity. People need to understand what’s expected of them, why their work matters, and how it contributes to the company’s goals. I translate ambitious targets into clear responsibilities, measurable KPIs, and realistic priorities while giving people the trust to make decisions.

When challenges arise, I focus on finding solutions rather than assigning blame. For me, the best culture combines accountability with trust, recognition, and continuous learning.

Q6: As AI becomes increasingly embedded in commercial operations, where do you believe it creates the greatest value-and where will human judgment remain irreplaceable?

Milica:

I see AI as a tool that supports people rather than replaces them.

In account management, it helps analyse large volumes of data and identify patterns people might overlook. In business development, it supports market research, lead generation, opportunity evaluation, and prioritisation. It also improves customer engagement by enabling faster and more personalised communication.

However, human judgment remains essential in complex negotiations and relationship building. Trust, empathy, cultural awareness, and personal responsibility are qualities that technology cannot replace.

Q7: Drawing on your experience across operators, platform providers, aggregators, and technology partners, which industry shifts will have the greatest impact on iGaming growth strategies over the next few years?

Milica:

Several major shifts are shaping the industry.

Regulation is becoming increasingly fragmented, making compliance a central part of every expansion strategy. Companies are also demanding more modular technology, faster integrations, and smarter use of AI and data.

At the same time, localization and strategic partnerships will become even more important. You may have an excellent product, but if it isn’t suited to the local market, it won’t succeed. I also believe companies will increasingly focus on sustainable profitability by creating greater value from existing partnerships rather than simply acquiring new clients.

Q8: Why do you believe sustainable growth depends as much on improving existing partnerships as it does on signing new clients?

Milica:

Sustainable growth requires a balance between acquiring new business and strengthening existing partnerships.

Existing clients already have trust, established integrations, and market knowledge, making it far more cost-effective to expand through better commercial terms, additional products, or new markets than starting every relationship from scratch.

By continuously improving existing partnerships, companies can significantly increase profitability while creating long-term value for both sides.

Q9: After more than a decade in iGaming and experience across multiple parts of the B2B ecosystem, what kind of business challenge excites you most at this stage of your career?

Milica:

At this stage of my career, I’m most excited about turning commercial potential into sustainable and measurable growth.

I believe I create the greatest value by growing and optimising existing B2B partnerships while building high-performing sales teams capable of winning new business. Combined with my international experience and strong commercial network, I can help companies strengthen profitability, expand into new markets, and unlock new growth opportunities.

I’m particularly motivated by working with companies that have strong products and ambitious goals, where I can align multiple products across different markets and drive long-term commercial success.