What does a freelance Head of Product & Innovation do at Napoleon Sports & Casino?

Luc Van Aken is a freelance Head of Product & Innovation at Napoleon Sports & Casino. Two years ago he started - on behalf of NedWorks - as Retention Manager. We asked him about the fascinating trajectory he went through.

What do you do as freelance Head of Product & Innovation?

"My current assignment consists of 3 parts. Firstly, I determine which products we will offer. Then I look for the best way to do so. Since the current online platform has its limitations, we are now developing a completely new platform. Finally, it is my job to think about how we will organize our company accordingly. Change always causes some chaos. I try to outline streamlined processes so that change can be implemented as smoothly as possible."

Do you like your job?

“Yes. Napoleon Sports & Casino is a growth company and this brings many opportunities with it. The IT department in particular has grown significantly, in order for us to renew and expand our online platform in-house. This new online platform will be optimised to handle all the large amounts of daily-generated data even better. In the future this will enable us to answer questions such as: what content do we show to whom? Which players do we offer a specific promotion?

Right now, we still make those decisions ourselves, but we have started with a proof of concept based on machine learning. We write up rules and release algorithms that will learn from them. It is very exciting to be at the head of all those innovations."

How innovative is Napoleon?

"We have already achieved a lot. When a player logs in onto our platform, we register where they come from and what decisions they make. This generates millions of daily transactions from which we can learn a lot. This allows us to offer users the products they find the most interesting.

In order for innovation to be implemented in a company, it is key to have a theoretical framework. I use a McKinsey framework to outline our plans. But what's even more important to me is to be able to switch rapidly from theory to pragmatic reasoning: how will you implement a new idea in a specific situation in the company?

It is important to be able to switch to practice quickly. People sometimes lose themselves in theoretical models, but it is best to implement innovation in small steps. Fast but small. Here at Napoleon we do not wait until a case is completely perfect, but we start with a proof of concept, learn from it, and move on to the next step.

We offer a fun form of entertainment to the vast majority of our customers. But we are also trying to find ways to predict when gambling behavior becomes problematic. By recognising users with a gambling addiction in time, we can suggest they take a break. We’re not there yet, but we are in the midst of tackling the challenge to identify that tiny minority of problematic players.

How did you experience the collaboration with NedWorks?

"Very smoothly. I was finishing a previous assignment and looking for something new. That's how I got in touch with NedWorks. They suggested a position as Retention Manager at Napoleon. After an introductory meeting, I was immediately able to start a 3-month assignment.

Afterwards, I was asked to set up and manage a new 'product & innovation' department. That's how I eventually took on the role of Head of Product & Innovation. So, yes, I feel comfortable saying I'm satisfied with the offer that I received through NedWorks."

What are your ambitions as a freelancer?

"I certainly want to stay here for a few more years. We still have an exciting journey ahead in terms of machine learning. That's something I wouldn't want to miss out on.

How do you keep your knowledge up-to-date?

"Attending a seminar once a year can be useful. But it is more important to follow up on trends daily. Additionally, we attract specialised consultants to bring the knowledge to us."

What trends can be discerned in today’s digital world?

"The most important thing for me is anticipation. Our goal is to develop algorithms that predict what a user will want to view and, based on that, already start to load components onto our platform. This will limit the loading times and improve user experience."

What tip do you have for starting digital freelancers?

"Try to understand new technologies and learn how the ecosystems work. Some marketers come up with something and ask IT people to make it, without understanding how the underlying technology works. But you can think much further as a marketer if you understand what is possible and what is not.

Also important: translate everything into KPIs. Translate your goals into clear numbers. There used to be a tension between marketing and sales, but this doesn't have to be the case anymore. Nowadays you can translate all your marketing efforts into clear objectives and concrete results."