iGB Most Influential Women 2026: First four names revealed

iGB's Most Influential Women 2026 campaign aims to celebrate the wide-ranging contributions women have made to the gaming industry and to assess progress in the field. The first four of the 10 women recognized in the campaign have been announced.

Melanie Ellis, partner at Northridge Law and one of this year's jury members, says that diverse experience and perspectives have made a major difference, particularly in areas such as compliance and product development. Ellis, who has worked in the industry for 20 years, says she has witnessed cultural change, but stresses that there is still a long way to go toward gender equality. In her view, awards like these are important for making success visible and for serving as role models for women.

Anika Howard, President and CEO of Wondr Nation, says that making the list is both a great and unexpected honor for her. Howard describes how she got her start early in her career at Harrah's Entertainment, now known as Caesars Entertainment, through the President's Associate Programme. The programme gave her a match with a department head, close work with the board of directors, and a one-on-one meeting with the CEO.

Howard was hired as Caesars' first interactive employee and was tasked with developing the company's first digital experiences for players.