Sakis Gialidis
Trading Manager
Rafina
Summary
Tech-driven Sportsbook Operations Leader with over a decade of industry experience, specializing in scaling global trading hubs (Europe, LatAm) and driving P&L profitability. Expert in bridging Trading Operations with Product & Tech teams to eliminate bottlenecks through AI, bot integrations, and process automation. Lean Six Sigma certified, with a proven track record of leading complex platform migrations, achieving 100% margin targets, and transforming manual workflows into highly efficient, scalable systems.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
3
3
Certifications
3
3
Languages
Work History
Pre Event Manager (Multisports)
Kaizen Gaming
09.2024 - Current
- Operations & P&L Leadership: Directed trading strategies across three major units (Tennis, US Sports, Euro Sports), streamlining cross-regional workflows and achieving a 100% success rate on total margin targets within the first year.
- Global Hub Development: Led the operational alignment and on-site training/re-training of the LatAm trading teams in Bogota, Colombia, ensuring uniform risk management standards across time zones.
- Product & AI Integration: Initiated and directed critical cross-functional projects including Bet Referral & Ticker improvements, Overask Weights, and automated algorithmic shift scheduling for maximum resource efficiency. Acted as core advocate for AI in Trading, developing early tools towards this direction (Bet Referral Evaluator).
- Strategic Partnerships: Drove high-value vendor integrations, notably pushing the implementation of new feeds (e.g., Oddin for Esports), significantly enhancing the product offering and market competitiveness.
Pre Event Team Leader (General Sports)
Kaizen Gaming
12.2020 - 09.2024
- Team Restructuring & Talent Acquisition: Completely reorganized the GS department by creating specialized sub-teams. Executed 10+ international hires (GR, CZ, RO, CA, CO) and represented the Trading department in the corporate "Korn Ferry" project to define the Team Leader role specifications.
- Commercial Growth: Consistently increased both Margin, ARPU/ATOPU and Turnover across, all managed sports by adapting rapidly to new sports and implementing aggressive trading strategies.
- Platform Migration & Tech POC: Served as the primary POC for the complex transition from Geneity to Kaizen’s in-house platform (Ariadne) for the GS Sports. Provided detailed specs for algorithmic deployments (e.g., Ice Hockey, Baseball) and supported numerous ATF tickets for platform enhancement.
- Market Launches & Compliance: Appointed as the Trading Representative for the highly regulated Ontario market launch. Successfully revamped the US Sports offer (new feeds/markets) and passed all stringent regulatory audits, while also supporting the trading launch for the Czech Republic, due to Ice Hockey expertise.
- Product & UI Collaboration: Partnered closely with Product teams to design market layouts, tables, and front-end presentations for new markets, ensuring optimal user experience and operational flow.
Senior Pre Event Trader (Basketball)
Kaizen Gaming
02.2019 - 12.2020
- Risk Management: Managed comprehensive risk, liabilities, and pricing strategies for high-tier global basketball competitions.
- Mentorship & Market Setup: Acted as a Subject Matter Expert (SME), mentoring junior traders on risk assessment methodologies and optimizing daily market setups.
- Margin Retention: Consistently delivered high margin retention and profitability in highly volatile pre-match markets.
Live Betting Bookmaker (Chief Basketball)
Bet-at-home.com
01.2013 - 01.2019
- High-Stakes Live Trading: Led live risk management and dynamic odds compilation as the Chief Basketball In-play Trader for a major European sportsbook.
- P&L Protection: Safeguarded company P&L by executing split-second trading decisions and limit adjustments during extreme risk scenarios and high-volume live events.
- Operational Agility: Navigated a fast-paced environment, maintaining optimal profit margins and ensuring uninterrupted live betting availability across core European markets.
Sports Betting Analyst & Journalist
MetroMedia
11.2001 - 11.2012
- Data & Odds Analysis: Provided in-depth sports analysis, odds evaluation, and betting advisory across print media and radio broadcasts for one of Northern Greece's largest sports networks.
- Foundational Expertise: Developed a deep, foundational understanding of sports data analytics, market trends, and betting psychology, establishing the analytical base for a professional Sportsbook Trading career.
Education
Diploma - Sports Journalism & Broadcasting
IVTX Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki, Greece 04.2001 -
Skills
- Sportsbook Operations & Risk Management
- Process Automation
- AI Tools
- P&L Management & Margin Optimization
- Lean Six Sigma Methodologies
Hard / Technical Skills:
- Product Development Support
- Cross-Regional Team Leadership
- Change Management
- Strategic Planning & Decision Making
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
Soft / Leadership Skills:
Certification
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt – PeopleCert (Process optimization & defect reduction)
Timeline
Strategic Trainings – Kaizen Gaming: AI Essentials, Change Management, Growth Mindset
01-2025
Pre Event Manager (Multisports)
Kaizen Gaming
09.2024 - Current
Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt – PeopleCert (Process optimization & defect reduction)
01-2024
Corporate Leadership Academies – Kaizen Gaming: Manager 2 Leader (Ongoing), Way Up 1 & 2
01-2021
Pre Event Team Leader (General Sports)
Kaizen Gaming
12.2020 - 09.2024
Senior Pre Event Trader (Basketball)
Kaizen Gaming
02.2019 - 12.2020
Live Betting Bookmaker (Chief Basketball)
Bet-at-home.com
01.2013 - 01.2019
Sports Betting Analyst & Journalist
MetroMedia
11.2001 - 11.2012
Diploma - Sports Journalism & Broadcasting
IVTX Thessaloniki
04.2001 -