Hippos ATG Oy has officially made its first senior hires. The new joint venture between Finnish Hippos and Sweden’s ATG welcomed two executives today. The Hippos ATG Oy appointments see Joonas Saha become Chief Commercial Officer and Antti Koivula take on Chief Compliance Officer.

• Joonas Saha steps into the Chief Commercial Officer role after most recently working as a doctoral student at the University of Jyväskylä. His career includes senior roles in the media and telecommunications sectors, notably with Finnish telecoms group Elisa. Away from work, Saha has a strong sports background, having refereed in Finland’s top ice hockey league.

• Antti Koivula takes the Chief Compliance Officer position, moving from Legal Gaming Attorneys at Law. He has specialised in Finnish gaming market establishment, licensing, compliance and risk management. Koivula is also a former professional sports bettor and is highly familiar with horse racing wagering.

• Hippos ATG Oy is a 50–50 joint venture between Finnish Hippos and Sweden’s ATG, with revenues split 60–40 in Hippos’ favour. The company plans to offer horse racing, sports betting and online casino games from January 2027. Its head office is located in Helsinki.

• The board of directors includes members from both parent organisations: Hans Lord Skarplöth serves as chairman, with Markus Lahtinen, Minna Mäenpää and Juha-Matti Mäkilä from Finnish Hippos. Representing ATG are Lotta Nilsson Viitala, Per Tellander and Daniel Santikos.

• CEO Mikael Bäcke welcomed the first employees to the business, stating: “They both bring valuable experience and knowledge that will strengthen our business.” Bäcke will oversee the build-out of Hippos ATG Oy’s operations ahead of its market launch.

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