In this edition of CTO in Focus, Gaming Eminence interviews Yaroslav Sakharuta, Chief Technology Officer of Evoplay. The conversation covers the evolving challenges of system architecture, team autonomy, and scalability in the igaming industry. He shares practical lessons on building flexible, adaptable architectures that support smooth updates, and discusses the role of event-driven approaches in fostering independent teams. Yaroslav also explores strategies for managing scalability, balancing infrastructure costs with team efficiency, and how EvoPlay uses data analytics to enhance player experiences despite limited direct access to player data. Additionally, the interview provides insight into his leadership philosophy, highlighting the importance of motivating teams and promoting continuous learning to drive innovation.
Gaming Eminence: Throughout your career, you've held various roles that required you to architect complex systems. How has your approach to system architecture evolved over the years, and what key lessons from your past experiences have you applied at Evoplay? Can you share a specific example from Evoplay where your previous experience directly influenced a critical architectural decision?
YS) "Early in my career, I believed that the success of a system’s architecture was all about finding the perfect technical solution. However, over time, I’ve learned that while identifying the right technical approach becomes easier with experience, the true challenge is in setting clear priorities and developing a well-defined roadmap for implementation, tailored for my teams skills and sometimes even mood in a moment.
At Evoplay, a key lesson I've applied is the importance of creating an architecture that is both flexible and adaptable, commonly known as evolutionary architecture. In our rapidly evolving industry, changes are inevitable, and our architectural approach needs to accommodate these changes smoothly, without disrupting other parts of the system. For example, when we anticipate industry shifts or necessary updates, our architecture is structured to integrate these changes seamlessly, ensuring that other critical processes continue to function without interruption."
Gaming Eminence: You’ve been at the forefront of integrating new technologies in various roles. What has been your journey in identifying and implementing emerging technologies at Evoplay? How do you stay ahead of technological trends, and can you discuss a specific technology or framework that you've championed at Evoplay, detailing its impact on the company’s product offerings?
YS) "When I joined Evoplay, one of my priorities was to make each team within my unit more autonomous. Here, autonomy doesn't imply discouraging cooperation, but rather empowering teams with responsibilities and tools to own a separate product and all delivery and decision making steps. Effective architecture isn’t just a goal; it’s a tool to achieve seamless operation. For this to work, the teams need to be organised and efficient. My experience has shown that this approach is crucial for success.
A key focus has been ensuring that each team member's skills are fully utilised, allowing them to excel in their roles. We regularly assess where individuals can contribute most effectively, and if necessary, we reassign them to different teams where their strengths can be maximised. My overarching goal is to create a balanced system where every employee is positioned to succeed, which in turn enhances the performance of their team.
One of the strategies I’ve implemented to achieve this autonomy at Evoplay is through an event-driven architecture. This approach not only supports team independence but also serves as a litmus test, revealing areas for improvement and helping us meet our goals more effectively."
Gaming Eminence: Managing scalability and performance in a high-demand environment is no small feat. How have your experiences at previous companies prepared you for the scalability challenges at Evoplay? Could you walk us through a particular challenge you faced at Evoplay in this area and how your previous roles equipped you to handle it?
YS) "When it comes to scalability, there are two key aspects: team scalability and software scalability. Both play a crucial role in achieving the final outcome. For example, one of our teams is relatively small, yet it develops software capable of handling tens of thousands of operations per second. However, doubling the team size doesn’t necessarily double productivity, highlighting a managerial scaling challenge.
On the software side, scalability also presents its own set of challenges. While there are tools available to assist with scalability and the industry is continually evolving to simplify decision-making, it remains a complex task. To manage this, we use AWS cloud services and other tools, leverage our internal expertise, and occasionally bring in external consultants to ensure optimal scalability.
From my experience, achieving effective scalability requires balancing architecture and costs. At Evoplay, we equip our team with the tools and information needed to make informed decisions, which helps us align our efforts with our performance goals. Performance, in this context, relies on managing two key components: infrastructure costs and team effort. Striking the right balance between these components is crucial for successful scalability."
Gaming Eminence: Personalisation in gaming is as much about technology as it is about vision. How has your understanding of data analytics and personalisation evolved, and how do you instill this vision into your team at Evoplay? Can you share how your leadership approach has shaped the way Evoplay uses data to enhance player experiences?
YS) "As a gaming provider rather than a casino, we don’t have direct access to player data. Instead, we derive insights from how our games are received, identifying which ones engage players most effectively and which have different levels of engagement. We also analyse the effectiveness of our promotional tools, recognising which perform exceptionally well and which meet expectations. This approach helps us understand overall trends and preferences of our audience across different regions. By combining this data with external analytical reports, we can create a clearer portrait of our target audience. While analytics depersonalise the data, they provide a strong foundation for making informed decisions that enhance player experiences."
Gaming Eminence: Your leadership journey spans diverse roles and companies. How have these experiences influenced the engineering culture you’ve cultivated at Evoplay? What practices or philosophies from your career have you integrated into your teams to foster continuous learning and innovation, and how have these contributed to the rapid development and success of Evoplay’s products?
YS) "Motivated teams are not built by force; they are inspired by example. I am passionate about learning and tackling both new and existing challenges, and there is immense satisfaction in seeing the solutions I've developed lead to smooth and successful outcomes. This passion is something I strive to cultivate within the team as well. When hiring, we look at how well the team can inspire and support a new member, who should bring not only strong skills but also a genuine enthusiasm for their work. Everyone has their own perspective, and it’s the combination of these viewpoints that leads to the best results. This shared passion and diversity of thought foster both individual growth and overall team development, driving us forward together."
About our contributor
Yaroslav has a rich background in the technology sector, currently serving as the Chief Technology Officer at Evoplay since October 2022. Prior to this role, Yaroslav was a Software Development Manager at Surprise.com in 2021. From 2020 to 2021, they held the position of Senior Engineering Manager at Intapp. Yaroslav also spent four years at Live/Playtech (2016–2020), where they worked as a Software Architect and Development Manager. Before that, from 2014 to 2016, Yaroslav led a Scala team at Wallet - Playtech. Their earlier roles include being a Java Software Engineer at Playtech / Casino (2012) and Playtech / Videobet (2011–2012), and starting out as a Java Developer at Consumer Health Technologies in 2010.
Yaroslav earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Software Engineering from the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, where they studied from 2004 to 2010. In addition, they hold an AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate certification, which was awarded by Amazon Web Services in March 2022.
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