Brian Dean served as Kambi’s first Chief People Officer, a role he joined in January 2025. He brought a 20-year HR career that began with eight years in the British Army. Kambi named a new Chief People Officer just eight months later, and Dean is now a former Kambi executive.
Who Is Brian Dean?
Brian Dean is a human resources executive with more than two decades of leadership experience. He built his career across the British Army, Barclays, HSBC, Vodafone and the European operator SKS365.
Kambi hired him as its first Chief People Officer in January 2025. The move gave Kambi’s People function a direct seat on the executive team, a first for the company.
His path into HR leadership started an unusual way. Dean trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, then served eight years as an Army Captain. He entered recruitment only after that.
Brian Dean’s Career Before Kambi
Dean left the Army in the mid-1990s and moved into recruitment consultancy, working at firms including Robert Walters and Randstad. He joined Capco as Global Recruitment Manager in 1999, a role that set up his move into corporate HR.
He then spent six years at Barclays, first in recruitment and later as Network Area Director. Senior HR roles at HSBC and Vodafone followed, where he led talent acquisition and resourcing strategy from 2011 to 2014.
In 2018, Dean joined SKS365 as Chief People Officer and later took on Chief Operations Officer duties too. He stayed for six years, a run that ended with what Gambling Insider calls a successful company exit.
| Year | Milestone |
| 1988 to 1989 | Trains at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst |
| 1988 to 1996 | Serves as a Captain in the British Army |
| 1999 | Joins Capco as Global Recruitment Manager |
| 2011 to 2014 | Head of Talent & Resourcing, Vodafone |
| 2018 to 2024 | Chief People Officer, then COO, SKS365 |
| January 2025 | Appointed Chief People Officer, Kambi |
Brian Dean’s Time as Kambi’s Chief People Officer
Kambi announced Dean’s appointment on January 13, 2025. The sports betting supplier created the role specifically to bring its People function into the executive management team.
CEO Werner Becher said Dean’s experience would help Kambi attract and keep top talent as the company grew. Dean’s brief covered company culture, leadership development, diversity and inclusion, and the employee experience. Those offices span Malta, Australia, Denmark, the Philippines, Romania, Sweden, the UK and the United States.
The appointment landed during a busy stretch for Kambi. The company had just reported quarterly revenue of €43 million. It had also signed a turnkey sportsbook deal with Stake in Brazil’s newly regulated betting market.
Why Kambi Named a New Chief People Officer in 2025
Kambi appointed Michelle Unsworth as its new Chief People Officer in September 2025, about eight months after Dean started. Unsworth previously led people functions at Veriff, Travelport, Expedia Group and the Walt Disney Company.
Kambi has not published a reason for the leadership change. Dean’s exact departure date is not part of the public record either. Gambling Insider’s executive database now lists him as a former Kambi Chief People Officer.
The switch came as Kambi worked through a softer second quarter and a wider push to restructure the business. Adding Unsworth brought a leader with global technology and travel-sector HR experience onto the executive team.
Brian Dean vs Michelle Unsworth: Kambi’s CPO Transition
The two leaders bring different backgrounds to the same role. Here’s how their paths to Kambi compare.
| Feature | Brian Dean | Michelle Unsworth |
| Appointed | January 2025 | September 2025 |
| Background | British Army, financial services HR | Technology, travel and entertainment HR |
| Prior employer | SKS365 (CPO, then COO) | Veriff (VP People) |
| Experience | Over 20 years | Over 20 years |
| Notable past roles | Barclays, HSBC, Vodafone | Travelport, Expedia Group, Walt Disney Company |
The Bottom Line On Brian Dean
Brian Dean spent about eight months as Kambi’s first Chief People Officer. That capped a 20-year HR career that began with a British Army commission. His time at the sports betting supplier ended when Kambi hired Michelle Unsworth in September 2025.
Kambi has not said publicly where Dean went next. Check Kambi’s newsroom and Gambling Insider’s executive database for updates on his next move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Brian Dean?
Brian Dean is a human resources executive. He served as Kambi’s first Chief People Officer from January 2025 until around September 2025. He built his 20-year HR career at Barclays, HSBC, Vodafone and SKS365, after eight years as a British Army Captain.
Is Brian Dean still Kambi’s Chief People Officer?
No, Kambi appointed Michelle Unsworth as its new Chief People Officer in September 2025, about eight months after Dean joined. Public executive records now list Dean as a former Kambi Chief People Officer. Kambi has not published his exact departure date or the reason for the change.
What did Brian Dean do before joining Kambi?
Dean spent six years at SKS365 as Chief People Officer and later Chief Operations Officer too. Gambling Insider says his tenure ended in a successful company exit. Before that, he held senior HR roles at Barclays, HSBC and Vodafone, after an earlier British Army career.
What did Brian Dean’s role at Kambi involve?
As Chief People Officer, Dean oversaw Kambi’s global people strategy. That covered company culture, leadership development, and diversity and inclusion initiatives, plus the employee experience. Kambi’s offices span Malta, Australia, Denmark, the Philippines, Romania, Sweden, the UK and the United States.
Who replaced Brian Dean as Kambi’s Chief People Officer?
Michelle Unsworth replaced Dean in September 2025. She joined Kambi from Veriff, where she built the company’s first organization-wide people strategy. Unsworth also held senior HR roles at Travelport, Expedia Group and the Walt Disney Company.