Leah Neutel of Relax Gaming Discusses Leadership, Culture, and Future iGaming Talent

Leah Neutel, who heads the Malmö Studio at Relax Gaming, recently shared her perspectives on leadership and fostering a positive workplace culture within the dynamic iGaming sector. Her insights come as she prepares for the Women in Gaming Awards 2026, where she is a finalist for Leader of the Year, following her nomination for Star of the Future in 2025.

Neutel expressed that receiving the Leader of the Year nomination held profound professional and personal significance, especially as her colleagues put her forward. She noted that her leadership path at Relax Gaming unfolded organically, evolving through proactive engagement, addressing challenges, and championing her team's progress. For Neutel, a key aspect of her role involves establishing an environment where individuals feel empowered, trusted, and can perform optimally.

Leading teams through various phases of expansion and transformation over the past five years has taught her that effective leadership isn't about having every answer. Instead, she emphasizes creating clarity amidst uncertainty, building confidence, and enabling team members to excel while feeling supported and valued. Her experience across diverse disciplines, including production, technical, and creative fields, has highlighted the crucial need for adaptability, as different teams require distinct leadership approaches, which begins with active listening and understanding.

When managing the Malmö Studio, Neutel focuses on harmonizing creativity, commercial objectives, and team wellbeing by ensuring everyone understands the studio's vision and how their individual contributions align with broader goals. She acknowledges the importance of commercial priorities but asserts they are best met when teams take ownership and pride in their work. Neutel states, "For me, leadership is about creating the conditions for both performance and wellbeing to thrive." She believes that ambition and compassion are complementary forces, leading to exceptional outcomes when people feel valued and connected to a meaningful purpose.

Neutel identifies trust, clarity, and accountability as fundamental to a thriving studio culture. She champions an environment where talent is hired and then supported to succeed through clear direction, minimal bureaucracy, and encouraged collaboration. Psychological safety is also crucial, enabling team members to challenge assumptions and share ideas without fear. She remarked that the best ideas often emerge when people are comfortable speaking up.

Looking at talent management, Neutel believes the industry frequently undervalues long-term career development. She argues that exceptional talent seeks not just a role, but opportunities for growth and increased impact. Retaining top professionals demands as much focus as recruitment, with a need for meaningful challenges and clear progression pathways. Neutel also points out that companies often "underestimate the importance of investing in leadership capability," as direct managers significantly influence engagement and retention.

Her own leadership style has evolved from direct problem-solving to focusing on building the right environment and empowering others. Neutel emphasizes that scaling a studio involves giving talented individuals clarity, support, and trust to make decisions, thereby building capability throughout the organization. She also highlighted transparency and approachability as vital for leaders during periods of change or uncertainty. Ultimately, she sees leadership as a responsibility to create conditions where others can succeed.

Relax Gaming fosters talent growth by encouraging ownership, giving individuals opportunities to take on new responsibilities, and promoting cross-functional collaboration. Neutel noted that the company genuinely believes its people are central to business success, as talented individuals drive innovation and solve complex problems. For the next generation of iGaming leaders, Neutel advises balancing innovation with execution and recognizing that high performance and employee wellbeing are mutually reinforcing priorities. She concludes, "From a business perspective, leaders will need to balance innovation with execution," while combining commercial acumen with empathy and a commitment to helping people succeed.