Procurement plays a vital role in supporting Betsson Group’s operations, helping the business work with the right partners while ensuring efficiency, compliance, and long-term value. Leading this function is Fabio Palusci, Director of Procurement, whose work connects teams across the organisation and helps guide strategic decisions around suppliers, contracts, and processes. In this interview, Fabio shares insights into the evolving role of Procurement at Betsson, the importance of collaboration across departments, and what motivates him in a role that sits at the intersection of many areas of the business.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Fabio Palusci, and I am the Director of Procurement at Betsson Group. I was born in Belgium to Abruzzese parents (Italy), and in 2015 I moved to Malta to join Betsson — a decision that ultimately defined the path of my procurement career.
I began my professional journey in Antwerp working in IT services and outsourcing. That role gave me very fast the opportunity to take on both short- and long-term assignments across Europe. After a few years, I relocated to Rome, where I expanded my experience across industries as a consultant for both start-ups and established enterprises. Before moving to Malta, I served as EMEA Programme Manager at an Italian multinational leader in digital transformation.
Today, I lead Betsson’s global Procurement function, a team deeply embedded in the company’s operations and responsible for governing a network of suppliers, contracts, budgets, and risk-critical processes across the Group.
How would you explain your job to someone who isn’t familiar with Procurement?
This is a question my father asks me regularly, probably my answer is not that easy to understand – and trust me, it’s not the easiest one to answer.
Put simply, Procurement is the team that helps Betsson acquire everything it needs from external suppliers – in the smartest, safest, and most cost-effective way possible.
Whenever the business needs a new tool, service, or supplier, Procurement steps in. We help define the requirements, identify and assess suppliers, negotiate contracts, ensure approvals are in place, and monitor performance once the supplier is onboarded. Business stakeholders always drive the final decision; our role is to guide, protect, and optimise the process.
We do not work in a silo. Along the way, we collaborate closely with the Finance, Legal, Compliance, Information Security, Tech Evaluation, and Global Marketing teams to ensure every procurement decision aligns with best practices and meets the regulatory requirements of the markets where we operate.
In short: Procurement supports the business in getting the right things, from the right suppliers, in the right compliant way.
How has your role evolved since you joined?
I joined Betsson as a Digital Programme Manager, working within different teams before moving into Procurement as the company grew in scale and complexity. Within Procurement, I started as a Technology Category Manager, focusing on bringing structure, visibility, and control to tech-related spending. This included improving collaboration processes and launching Procuresson, our key digitalisation initiative.
That was only the start of this amazing journey.
Why did you choose Betsson Group and what surprised you after joining?
I chose Betsson because it offered a truly multicultural environment where innovation and efficiency are part of everyday business.
What surprised me the most was the organisation’s agility. Decisions happen quickly, collaboration feels natural, and transformation is not only accepted – it’s embraced. That cultural openness is what allowed us to introduce significant procurement transformations, from digital workflows to governance models, with steadily increasing adoption across the organisation.
How would your colleagues describe you at work?
A tricky question – but here’s my best guess.
My colleagues would probably describe me as “obsessive” when it comes to food, drinks, clothing… and definitely coffee. These topics come up often, which, for an Italian, is completely normal!
I bring that same attention to detail and passion into my work. I hope my colleagues see that level of dedication in everything I do.
What has been your proudest achievement in this role?
Like any role, mine includes short-term wins – a complex negotiation, a successful agreement, significant cost savings. These tangible milestones keep the job energising and close to the business.
But what makes me most proud is the long-term work: building Betsson’s digital procurement ecosystem and strengthening our governance framework. This foundation – continuously evolving – will shape how Procurement contributes to the company for years to come.
What do you like most about your role?
Procurement touches every corner of the organisation – Tech, Marketing, Product, Finance, Compliance, Legal, and more. That cross-functional exposure is what I enjoy most.
Every day brings a new challenge: a risk to mitigate, a process to improve, or an opportunity to seize. The blend of people, governance, operations, and strategy is what makes Procurement such a dynamic discipline.
What does One Betsson mean to you?
To me, OneBetsson represents cross-departmental collaboration and the willingness to step into unfamiliar areas in order to grow. Betsson encourages this mindset, and it allows you to continuously discover new dimensions of your role and of the organisation.
What advice would you give to someone interested in joining Betsson?
Be curious, be proactive, and embrace change. Betsson rewards people who take ownership, deliver results, and enjoy shaping how the organisation will look in the future.
Explore how our people are growing and making an impact at Betsson Group.