Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Timeline
AccountManager
MELISSA FINLEY

MELISSA FINLEY

Toronto,ON

Summary

I am an award winning customer obsessed strategic thinker with 13 years of gaming industry experience. In my time at OLG, I have helped take Lotto Max to new heights, delivering over $1B in sales while constantly thinking outside the box to resonate and attract a younger audience to lottery. I am passionate about leading a high performing team to achieve OLG’s strategic priorities.

Overview

16
16
years of professional experience

Work History

ACTING DIRECTOR, NATIONAL DRAW BASED GAMES

OLG
05.2023 - Current
  • Oversee the development and implementation of the National Lotto strategic marketing plan to ensure customer success and deliver against revenue and NPP targets.
  • Actively oversee the design, development and marketing for a $1.6 Billion portfolio to drive player participation, reach new audiences and deliver revenue wins.
  • Lead all budgeting and forecasting activities for Lotto Max; Lotto 649 and Daily Grand including the F'24 Q1 Forecast taking responsibility of the Monte Carlo simulation models for each product and working closely with Finance and EA partners to deliver polished targets to OLG leadership.
  • Stood up and lead monthly cross functional performance meetings for National Draws to keep cross functional partners engaged; glean insights and dig into data to drive customer success and course correct where required.
  • Work closely with Digital Lottery, including a bi-weekly Retail Draws/iLottery connect collaborative optimizations and experiences are executed to drive overall growth.
  • Established team priorities, maintained performance on the business during transition and effectively built relationships with all new direct reports.
  • Work closely with organizational leadership to guide operational strategy.
  • Collaborate with Brand during key milestones throughout marketing process including providing strategic briefs and final approval on marketing communication deliverables.
  • Developed and lead the Product sponsorship plan for Lotto Max and Lotto 649 defining OKRs and challenging our partnerships to work harder to drive growth.
  • Worked closely with Social Media team to drive change and develop a new National Lotto Social Media strategy focused on agility, customer needs, motivations and barriers to break through and avoid the status quo.
  • Provided direction on all National Draws research including the development of data-driven, in-depth understanding of players to identify growth strategies and evaluate specific market opportunities through recent Ethnographies; National U&A; and MMM learnings.
  • Actively participate and track performance metrics and analytics to monitor business performance and identify business opportunities and issues requiring corrective action.
  • Passionately leads the ILC Core Committee as current chair, working collaboratively with senior ILC counterparts to develop the annual National Lotto Portfolio Plan setting sales, profit and player base objectives, and strategies while overseeing the DBG, AWG and Instants Working Group.
  • Currently represents OLG as the Co-Chair for the ILC Management Committee to deliver against the 5-year ILC Strategy including overseeing all strategic imitative action plans, facilitating approvals and reporting back to the ILC President and Executive Committee monthly and the ILC Board every 6 months.
  • Always ensuring compliance and corrective action, when necessary, by working in collaboration with regulatory (AGCO) and audit partners.

SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER, LOTTO MAX

OLG
09.2019 - 05.2023
  • Oversaw and operated the $20 Million Lotto Max marketing budget, to deliver annual financial targets and drive player participation goals.
  • Drove 3 year growth on the Lotto Max business taking it to a first ever $1 Billion in annual revenue, deliver record sales and NPP.
  • Lead and facilitated the Lotto Max budgeting and forecasting exercises working closely with ILC analysts and OLG Finance and EA partners to manage probability models.
  • Passionately represented OLG at the ILC DBG Committee to prepare, analyze and provide recommendations to MSC and EC on marketing programs, game optimizations, new game development, accelerations, net revenue plans and promotion plans for National ILC Draw products.
  • Selected as the ILC lead for analyzing and approving all Lotto Max jackpot instructions on behalf of the regions for jackpots below $50 Million.
  • Developed and executed Annual Strategic Plan for Lotto Max, including the development and execution of the annual media plan.
  • Worked closely and collaboratively with Brand and Marcom partners on all communication campaigns from brief to execution alongside the Marketing Communications (Marcom) lead for TV, Radio, OOH, Social and Digital initiatives. Key projects include 52-week Dream To The Max campaigns and one-off campaign initiatives.
  • Developed the Lotto Max Under 35 Customer Journey and U35 strategy which lead to the first ever U35 dedicated programs including Lotto Max Dream Unboxing, Lotto Max Dream Drop and Lotto Max Dreamery delivering positive gains on U35 Player Participation, Sales and Trial.
  • Lead the development and execution of the Lotto Max Dream Mobile activation coordinating cross functional teams, activations and media to optimize marketing support at high jackpots.
  • Analyzes business data and research insights to optimize marketing strategies and maximize sales.
  • Analyzes and leverages Media Mix Modelling data to evaluate media spend and ensure learnings are applied to increase ROI while maximizing reach and frequency.
  • Lead the agency briefing and development of partnership and sponsorship programs for Lotto Max with key partners such as MLSE, Universal Music, Live Nation and NBA setting objectives and executing programs such as Lotto Max Up Close, Toronto Raptors Lotto Max NYC Contest and Gary's Baller Drops.
  • Actively engaged and worked closely with Equity, Diversity & Inclusion team to tie key EDI initiatives and objectives back to the product level. Key accomplishments have been donating 100% of the proceeds from Lotto Max Dream Drop to Black Hxouse, donating 100% of the proceeds from Lotto Max Dreamery to Friends of Ruby and our 2023 Lotto Max sponsorship of United Nation of Cyclists (UNC).
  • Collaborates with OLG Sales and Channel Marketing to maximize revenue and deliver against key objectives.

PRODUCT MANAGER, REGIONAL LOTTO

OLG
10.2016 - 09.2019
  • Successfully managed the Regional Lotto portfolio including development and execution of all marketing support for Lottario; Ontario 49; Poker Lotto; Wheel Of Fortune Lotto; Megadice; Picks and New Product Development.
  • Lead the development and execution of the Regional Lotto strategic marketing plan including the New Game development pipeline and action plan.
  • Delivered annual revenue of +$700 million.
  • Lead and executed game optimizations and new brand strategies on several brands including the re-launch of Ontario49, Lottario and Watch N' Win as a category.
  • Monitored game performance, customer trends and lead the retirement of under-performing games such as Rock, Paper Scissors.
  • Facilitated and lead monthly cross functional meetings with all personnel from all areas of the Lottery business.
  • Ontario-lead for Regional Lottery ILC round table meetings with jurisdictions across Canada.

PRODUCT MANAGER, INSTANTS

OLG
06.2014 - 10.2016

PRODUCT MANAGER, REGIONAL LOTTO

OLG
09.2010 - 06.2014

PRODUCT MANAGER, SCOTCH(R) BRAND

3M CANADA
08.2007 - 09.2010

Education

Honours Bachelor of Commerce - Marketing

University of Ottawa
Ottawa, ON
06.2007

Skills

  • P&L Management
  • Probability Modelling & Forecasting
  • Strategic Planning
  • Promotions & Activations
  • Advertising & Marketing
  • Research
  • New Product Development
  • Stakeholder & Relationship Management
  • Media Mix Modelling
  • Communication & Interpersonal Strengths

Accomplishments

  • 2023 Silver Cannes Lion: Creative Commerce Engagement: Customer Acquisition, LOTTO MAX Dream Bars
  • 2022 Silver Cannes Lion: Direct (Ambient Media), LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Silver Cannes Lion: Creative Commerce, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Bronze Cannes Lion: Brand Experience, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Bronze Cannes Lion: Design, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Gold Canadian Marketing Association: Martech, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Gold Canadian Marketing Association: Business Impact, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Gold ADCC: Media Innovation, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Bronze ADCC: Advertising Integrated Campaign, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Silver Canadian Marketing Association: Customer Experience, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop
  • 2022 Silver Canadian Marketing Association: Innovative Media, LOTTO MAX Dream Drop

Timeline

ACTING DIRECTOR, NATIONAL DRAW BASED GAMES

OLG
05.2023 - Current

SENIOR PRODUCT MANAGER, LOTTO MAX

OLG
09.2019 - 05.2023

PRODUCT MANAGER, REGIONAL LOTTO

OLG
10.2016 - 09.2019

PRODUCT MANAGER, INSTANTS

OLG
06.2014 - 10.2016

PRODUCT MANAGER, REGIONAL LOTTO

OLG
09.2010 - 06.2014

PRODUCT MANAGER, SCOTCH(R) BRAND

3M CANADA
08.2007 - 09.2010

Honours Bachelor of Commerce - Marketing

University of Ottawa

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MELISSA FINLEY