William (Will) Bonalume - Chief Operating Officer at Open Gaming
William (Will) Bonalume – Chief Operating Officer, Open Gaming
In the dynamic iGaming universe, where innovation and regulation set the pace, some trajectories stand out for their depth and impact. William Bonalume, or Will, is one of those names. With over 15 years of experience, he has built solid expertise in Compliance, KYC, fraud prevention, and operations management, with notable stints in sectors such as fintech and neobanks before landing in iGaming. His experience at Meta, where he served as Statutory Director for Facebook Payments Brazil, managing regulated operations and relationships with the Central Bank, demonstrates his ability to navigate complex and highly demanding environments. Today, as Chief Operating Officer at Open Gaming, Will applies all this knowledge to optimize operations and ensure business scalability in a Brazilian scenario of intense regulatory effervescence. His work focuses on structuring robust processes, using methodologies like Lean and Six Sigma to maximize efficiency and ensure integrity in a sector that demands precision and security. In the "Más que un Juego" series, we dive into the stories that shape these leaders. In the following lines, William steps away from the corporate badge and shares the human side behind the executive.
The Origin
Where were you born?
Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul
If you could walk today through the neighborhood where you grew up as a child, what would you remember?
Playing soccer and hide-and-seek with neighborhood friends.
If you could turn back time to those years, what would you like to be doing?
I'm a scout, so camping has always been something I've enjoyed doing and achieving. Outdoor activities have always had my heart. Additionally, my passion for games has also always been a part of my daily life, with franchises like God of War, Diablo, and Red Dead Redemption.
What part of that child is still present in your life today?
I believe that many of the values of integrity and compliance that my scouting life provided me are now part of my adult life. The care with the segment of rules and their integral fulfillment has made me someone who believes that this has value for life.
What did that child dream of doing for a living when they grew up?
Initially, I wanted to be a paleontologist, largely due to the influence of Jurassic Park, at the height of the 90s. Then came the ideas of engineering, and that led me to start mechanical engineering college.
Professional Journey
What was your first paid job?
I worked in quality control at an automotive industry in Rio Grande do Sul. It was from my first job that I had contact with international standards and ways to implement them in complex processes.
What was your first job in the betting/gambling industry?
I worked for a Brazilian KYC that offered services to betting houses, in the pre-regulation period. It was my first contact with the industry.
What do you enjoy most about this industry?
I believe it's the dynamism it presents in its day-to-day. There is no monotony.
What trends will shape the future of betting over the next 5 years?
I believe that brand consolidation, acquisitions, and business conglomerates will be the main fronts we will see in the coming years.
What concerns you most about problem gambling?
The fact that operators don't care about this sensitive topic in their operations and continue with a predatory view of consumers.
If you had to choose one boss who shaped your professional journey, who would it be?
My manager during my agribusiness days. He possessed all the skills of a manager who develops the main abilities of his team. He inspires me, and today I have him as a mentor, whom I turn to when I have a difficult decision or to advise me on people processes.
What is the best professional advice you've ever received?
I believe in the career pivot I made in 2020. During the pandemic, I had to migrate from physical (quality) to digital. That's when I started navigating product and operations waters.
If you had to sum up your leadership philosophy in one sentence, what would it be?
A leader's mission can be summarized as: delivering results and developing people.
What do you value most in a job, beyond salary?
I believe in the balance between personal and professional (work hard + play hard). Being able to travel, take care of physical and mental health, plus having moments with the work team (in-person or hybrid) is the perfect recipe for me.
If you hadn't worked in this industry, what other profession would you have liked to pursue?
I believe I would be in the industrial/engineering field, working with industrial products or processes.
Quick-Fire
A book you'd recommend?
The Lean Startup
A movie that stayed with you?
The Founder
A favorite meal?
Barbecue
Wine or beer?
Beer
A place in the world to live?
Singapore
A dream still on your list?
To visit all continents of the world (2 left)
A hobby or passion outside of work?
Video Games
Someone you admire?
Luiza Helena Trajano
Working from the office or from home?
Hybrid (the middle ground between two worlds)
A beach day or a day in the countryside?
Beach
Employee or entrepreneur?
Employed
Are leaders made or born?
They become
Family & Friends
If your parents had to describe you without mentioning your job title or achievements, what would they say about you?
They would say Will is a boy who understands a lot about the internet and positions himself to make businesses grow and develop in compliance with all applicable regulations, in Brazil and worldwide.
How would your friends describe you?
They would say William is a guy who fights against the villains of pirate markets, seeking a fairer and more regulated market for everyone.
Who is the person who still dares to tell you "you're wrong" when everyone else says yes?
My wife. But it’s not arrogance. She always seeks my best version, and I wouldn't be even 10% of what I am today if it weren't for everything she challenges me to seek within myself.
How much has your family influenced you being where you are today?
My parents were fervent entrepreneurs and workers. Coming from commerce, I remember them waking up at 4 AM and closing their establishments at 11:30 PM or even later. I learned from them that hard work, partnership, and dedication are what we can find and pursue for a better life and a more just society.
Who is someone, far away or no longer physically here, that you'd like to hug? What would you say to them?
I believe Pope Francis is a person who deeply valued integrity at the head of the Church. He would certainly be an interesting person to hug and have a coffee with to talk about geopolitics, for example.
Successes and Failures
What would you say to your younger self who was struggling or close to giving up at some point?
I would say that experience is fundamental, whether your own or others'. I would tell him not to undervalue it and also to know how to wait for the acquisition of his own life experience, work, etc.
What was the toughest decision you made in your career, and what did you learn from it?
Conducting a layoff process amidst a tense M&A was a big challenge. I learned that we have to look at both sides of situations like these, despite them being painful. And that a perspective focusing on people should not be forgotten.
What has been your greatest achievement, and what did it mean to you?
Supporting and being part of an early-stage startup and making it a millionaire company was a great achievement for me. Participating from the product's conception, the creation of its operation, and its acquisition process and final investment round was something that, for me, signified the successful final outcome of a professional endeavor, observing all moments of a company's journey.
The Legacy
Where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?
I believe I will consolidate myself as a senior executive in the betting market, perhaps even acting more as an Advisor or Board member. Many tell me I have an aptitude for entrepreneurship, so that's still on my backlog, to lead an operation that would be "mine to call my own."
How would you like to be remembered?
As someone who sought integrity and customer protection in all spheres, vision, operational results, and sustainability. Additionally, as an executive who sought to "speak outside the bubble" of the betting market, aiming to show its positive side to other spheres, such as anti-fraud, fintechs, and marketplaces, for example.
If you had to give someone a life lesson, what would it be?
That sometimes we discharacterize experience, but in reality, it brings us a lot to add. And also that others' experience and learning from it is a factor that, when we discover how important it is, makes us grow exponentially.
What question have you never been asked in an interview that you'd like to answer?
Question: What is AI's contribution to the betting industry today? Answer: Currently, I see that we are still very slow in this process. AI is widely used for creation and player support. We need to look beyond. Work with complex models and fronts for productivity gains in various processes.
Which industry colleague would you like to see answering this interview?
Pedro Bernardino, CEO of Gorilas Bet (Go Jungle Group) is an incredible executive. Another is Marco Túlio, CEO of ANA Gaming: an executive who inspires me and is very focused on implementing AI in business.