Sportsbet names Christina Ruiz and Kathy Schokman to new leadership roles

Sportsbet has announced two internal leadership appointments, naming Christina Ruiz as Chief Product Officer and Kathy Schokman as Interim Chief People Officer. The changes, announced on 9 November 2026, place two established members of the Australian wagering operator’s workforce in senior executive roles.

The promotions highlight internal career progression as the company develops its product and people functions. A separate South Australian disciplinary decision also puts regulatory compliance in focus.

Sportsbet promotes two experienced executive roles

The appointments were announced through Sportsbet’s social media channels. Ruiz will take up a newly created Chief Product Officer position, while Schokman will serve as Interim Chief People Officer during the search for a permanent officeholder.

The roles cover different areas of the business. Product leadership guides customer-facing services and supporting technology, while the people function oversees workplace culture, employee development and organisational practices.

Christina Ruiz takes on the Chief Product Officer role

Ruiz joined Sportsbet in 2022 as Head of Commercial. She became General Manager of Commercial Content in 2024 before moving into the role of General Manager of Product in 2025.

Her appointment creates a dedicated executive position for the product function and builds on her work connecting the company’s design, product and technology teams. Sportsbet said Ruiz had helped shape its strategy and product development during her four years with the business.

The role gives Ruiz a broader remit over product direction. Digital wagering platforms depend on coordination between commercial planning, customer experience and technology, making product leadership a significant part of the operator’s structure.

Before joining Sportsbet, Ruiz worked in advisory and strategy roles. Her previous experience included a corporate turnaround director position at a Melbourne-based advisory firm and a Strategy Manager role at EY, the international professional services network.

The appointment gives her executive-level responsibility for Sportsbet’s product direction.

Kathy Schokman becomes Interim Chief People Officer

Schokman joined Sportsbet in 2007 as a Creative Designer and has remained with the company throughout her career. The operator said she brings more than 19 years of experience and organisational knowledge to the interim position.

In its announcement, the company stated: “Kathy brings deep leadership experience and exceptional knowledge of Sportsbet with over 19 years here and will continue to share her genuine passion for people and culture whilst we search for our next Chief People Officer.”

Schokman will lead the people and culture function while Sportsbet searches for a permanent Chief People Officer. The interim designation is significant because the announcement does not describe her appointment as a permanent replacement.

Her long association with the operator may provide continuity during recruitment. Her familiarity with the company’s structure and internal practices also gives her substantial institutional knowledge.

The appointment represents another stage in Schokman’s long career with Sportsbet. Her progression from a creative position to an interim executive role also reflects the breadth of experience she has developed within the organisation.

South Australian fine adds a regulatory dimension

The leadership announcement follows a separate regulatory matter in South Australia. On 21 September 2026, the state’s Liquor and Gambling Commissioner issued a disciplinary order imposing fines totalling AU$325,000 on Sportsbet. The order also reprimanded the company across four categories of betting activity.

The decision concerned wagers accepted from South Australian residents on events that were not approved for betting in the state at the relevant time. The categories were esports, novelty events, LIV Golf and UFC/MMA. The Commissioner identified 942,675 wagers across the four categories. Most were accepted between 17 April 2023 and 15 September 2024, while the novelty-event period ran from 1 July to 23 October 2023.

The fines comprised AU$100,000 for esports, AU$25,000 for novelty events, AU$100,000 for LIV Golf and AU$100,000 for UFC/MMA. Sportsbet was reprimanded on each ground.

South Australian rules require authorised interstate betting operators to limit their offerings to races conducted by licensed racing clubs or other events approved by the Commissioner. The Consumer and Business Services department publishes the disciplinary order and the state’s approved betting contingencies framework. The Australian Communications and Media Authority also maintains a public register of licensed interactive gambling providers, including Sportsbet.

Sportsbet’s submissions and the regulator’s response

In its submissions, Sportsbet said the breaches were not deliberate and raised concerns about the clarity of parts of the approved-events notice. The company also referred to the difficulty of managing different product restrictions across Australian jurisdictions when certain markets were permitted elsewhere.

The Commissioner rejected Sportsbet’s interpretation of the notice and concluded that the events covered by the order had not been approved in South Australia during the relevant periods. The decision records that Sportsbet acknowledged its conduct had contravened the conditions of its authority to operate in the state.

The order noted that Sportsbet had stopped offering the relevant markets and implemented technological controls to manage availability by jurisdiction. The Commissioner took account of the company’s cooperation, apology and stated willingness to change its practices. The decision imposed fines and reprimands but did not suspend or cancel the operator’s South Australian authorisation.

The matter underlines the importance of market-specific compliance systems for wagering businesses operating across Australia. Operators must account for local approval requirements rather than assume that a betting market permitted in one jurisdiction can be offered nationwide.

Conclusion

Sportsbet’s appointments of Christina Ruiz and Kathy Schokman represent two significant internal career developments. Ruiz’s promotion establishes a new executive position focused on product leadership, while Schokman’s interim appointment provides continuity in the people function as the operator searches for a permanent Chief People Officer.

Both appointments draw on experience developed within the business. The South Australian disciplinary decision, meanwhile, highlights the operational responsibilities that accompany a wagering business serving customers in multiple jurisdictions.

Product strategy depends not only on digital development and customer experience but also on effective controls and clear accountability. As the new leadership arrangements take effect, Sportsbet will need to advance its organisational priorities while ensuring its betting products reflect the distinct requirements of each market in which it operates.

FAQs

Who has Sportsbet appointed as its new Chief Product Officer?
Sportsbet has appointed Christina Ruiz as its new Chief Product Officer. The position is newly created and builds on her previous experience as General Manager of Product.

Who is the Interim Chief People Officer at Sportsbet?
Kathy Schokman has been appointed Interim Chief People Officer. She will oversee the people and culture function while the company searches for a permanent replacement.

When did Sportsbet announce the leadership appointments?
The company announced both internal appointments on 9 November 2026 through its social media channels.

How long has Christina Ruiz worked at Sportsbet?
Ruiz joined Sportsbet in 2022 as Head of Commercial. She subsequently held senior commercial and product management positions before her latest promotion.

What was Kathy Schokman's previous position at Sportsbet?
Schokman originally joined the operator as a Creative Designer in 2007. She subsequently developed her career within the organisation before becoming Interim Chief People Officer.

Is Kathy Schokman the permanent Chief People Officer?
No. Sportsbet has described her appointment as interim and indicated that it is searching for a permanent Chief People Officer.

How much was Sportsbet fined in South Australia?
The Liquor and Gambling Commissioner imposed total fines of AU$325,000 on 21 September 2026. The company was also reprimanded across four separate categories.

Why did South Australia fine Sportsbet?
The disciplinary action concerned betting markets offered to South Australian residents on events that had not received the required approval under the applicable state regulations.

Which betting markets were involved in the Sportsbet disciplinary decision?
The four categories were esports, novelty events, LIV Golf and UFC/MMA. The Commissioner identified 942,675 wagers across these categories.

Did Sportsbet lose its authorisation to operate in South Australia?
No. The Commissioner imposed financial penalties and reprimands but did not suspend or cancel Sportsbet’s South Australian authorisation. The decision took account of the company's cooperation and the controls introduced following the relevant conduct.