Partnerkin CCO and MAC Head of Sales Evgeny

Today in the iGaming Heroes section on 3S.INFO, meet Evgeny (known to all!), CCO of Partnerkin and Head of Sales of the MAC conference.

Publication date: 21 April 2026

How to go from an SEO author to CCO of a well-known media platform and the organizer of one of the most iconic events in the gambling and betting industry, how to make mistakes without fearing the conference stage, and what is the one thing without which it is impossible to work? Today in the iGaming Heroes section on 3S.INFO, meet Evgeny (known to all!), CCO of Partnerkin and Head of Sales of the MAC conference.

– Evgeny, as long as we’ve known Partnerkin, there has always been Evgeny — the one who arranges and handles everything. Tell us about your journey: how did you end up at Partnerkin and in the affiliate industry? How did it all begin?

It all started in 2010. A friend brought me into the industry by suggesting I write SEO texts, something he had already been successfully doing for some time.

At first, I was skeptical, but I needed the money, so I decided to give it a try. Those were very primitive SEO texts for various websites. Of course, no one had heard of ChatGPT back then, and the requirements for texts were minimal, so anyone could write at the time.

I then began working at a holding company that consisted of two SMS subscription affiliate programs. Around that time, I became familiar with all the major industry forums: searchengines, gofuck, master-x, maultalk, and others. Back then, all information and promotion efforts were essentially concentrated there. I was responsible for PR of the affiliate programs and orchestrated bold anti-PR campaigns against competitors.

At the time, virtually anything was possible. Any flight of fancy was permitted with little oversight. Those were entertaining days.

Since then, I have worked in the dating and adult verticals. For a period, I monitored fraud and traffic, served as a content manager and an affiliate manager, and seven years ago, I joined Partnerkin.

I started as a regular manager, then tried my hand at selling advertising, and discovered that I had a knack for it. Subsequently, I became Head of Sales. I succeeded in building a strong team around me, and quite literally, we broke our own sales records every single year.

Then, in 2023, after a short hiatus, the team decided to host MAC once again. They asked me to assist with sales, as I was already quite familiar with the market and had already demonstrated results in sales. That was the beginning of a new chapter. An extremely intense one, but highly engaging.

After six years at Partnerkin, I transitioned to the role of Commercial Director. I began appearing less frequently in chats and receded somewhat into the background, but now I face even more tasks and greater responsibility.

– What has been your most successful professional move and your most mistaken one? Which ultimately led to greater growth: success or failure?

The most successful move was believing in remote work. Believing that a fully fledged business with decent income could be built on it. In 2010, this was not obvious. Other career options, to be honest, were far more prevalent. But time proved that decision to be the right one.

The most mistaken professional move was trying to do everything myself. It is a classic mistake, but I only learned to truly delegate relatively recently. You think you are faster, smarter, and more reliable. Often, that is true. But that approach will not allow you to scale quickly.

Business begins to grow in a serious way only when you stop being the primary executor.

What is the most common illusion among advertisers and partners?

That you can live for a long time on one traffic source, one creative, one successful case. The market is changing, and you need to find the strength to adapt to it.

– You essentially have two large teams: the Partnerkin media platform and the MAC conference. What works best for you in terms of motivating people: money, growth, influence, or product involvement? Does your approach differ between the media team and the events team?

Money is the foundation. Let’s not be hypocritical. I have yet to meet people who are willing to work for an idea alone. But if money is the only thing keeping a person, they will leave as soon as they receive a new offer.

What matters is synergy: the ability to earn well while also tackling interesting challenges. Interest can manifest in various forms: influence over the product, impact on the market as a whole, meeting new people, traveling to conferences, and engaging tasks.

The approach to each team is certainly different, and the results can be evaluated in completely different ways.

The conference is sold within a relatively short timeframe. From the start of sales to the event itself, with all the impressive booths, only a couple of months pass. You travel there and see the fruits of your labor. You can touch the result. Plus, there is the drive, the adrenaline, and the deadlines. Those who have been through it will never forget it.

For example, after MAC in Yerevan in 2025, I could not walk calmly through the city. People stopped me, thanked me, hugged me, gave the team countless compliments, and tried to treat me to local cognac.

In media, everything is more gradual. Sprints. There is none of that frantic rush. The work is, shall we say, more monotonous, and the results are not so immediate.

But the most important thing is involvement in the product.

When a person feels that they have the opportunity to create and that their opinion is heard, a completely different level of energy and motivation kicks in.

What is harder to sell today: audience attention or market trust?

Audience attention can be bought. Trust can only be earned, and through years of cooperation.

– Thousands of verticals pass through Partnerkin and MAC, but iGaming has become one of the key ones. How do you see this vertical today: at its peak, maturing, or just at the beginning of major growth? And looking at the broader market two to three years ahead, where will the main competition be: in traffic, people, expertise, media, or events?

iGaming is no longer the “Wild West.” It is a mature industry with lawyers, compliance, and large Excel spreadsheets calculated to two decimal places.

It is neither a peak nor a beginning. It is a consolidation phase. Через 2–3 года главная конкуренция будет не за трафик. In two to three years, the main competition will not be over traffic. Traffic is a tool. Competition will be for strong people, for expertise, for trust, and for brand.

The market has become more expensive. So have mistakes.

Content or community: which matters more for a media platform?

Content is the foundation. Community is your capital. Ideally, both.

– What are the main challenges faced by media buyers and advertisers today, regardless of vertical? How do Partnerkin and MAC help address these pain points not just in words but in practice?

The first challenge is instability. Regulations, blocks, *Facebook rules that change faster than managers at EPN.

The second is people. There are fewer quality buying teams and strong accounts than there are budgets.

The third is the illusion of easy money. It still persists. Competition is growing, products are maturing. But many have failed to adapt and still think in terms of the 2010s.

Partnerkin helps address these issues. We provide an up-to-date picture of the market. We help find people for specific tasks. And we keep you informed about what actually works right now.

MAC addresses the trust pain point. In two days, you can figure out who you want to work with for years and who you do not.

We do not sell “magic formulas.” We accelerate introductions to those who are actually doing business.

How do you recharge when you feel tired?

Sports, walks, sleep. I used to also play on PS5, but unfortunately, I can’t even remember the last time I turned it on.

– What topics and demands, in your view, will define the agenda of the next MAC? What can the market no longer remain silent about?

The market can no longer ignore three things:

Regulation;
Quality of people;
Systematic approach.

There is less chaos in the market and more structure.

If previously one could grow through aggression and speed, now those with processes and a long-term strategy are the ones who win.

– Today, more and more media platforms and events are emerging, all competing for audience attention. Do you feel this competition?

And most importantly, what must Partnerkin and MAC offer the market next to stay at the top and avoid becoming just “another platform” or “another conference”?

Competition exists. And that is normal. If a media platform or event does not feel competition, it means it is no longer of interest to anyone.

We are not afraid of competition. We are afraid of becoming boring.

To avoid turning into “just another conference,” you must not do everything solely for money. You must not chase hype or inflate actual conference attendance numbers threefold. You must constantly improve the product.

MAC is not just a conference. First and foremost, it is a community. It is a product not designed merely to sell more booths and make money, but to deliver real value: to find new partners, to meet with old partners, and to conduct business within the conference.

Partnerkin has been on the market for 11 years and has been the leader in audience and effectiveness the entire way. We have an ecosystem with agency accounts and turnkey job placement. Our developments and innovations are constantly copied, which speaks volumes.

If the market stops receiving value, it will simply ignore us. And that is only fair.

– Do you have personal rules, habits, or approaches that help you stay productive in a fast-changing digital market? Which of these have you developed over years of work, and what is something you can no longer work without today?

First: make decisions quickly. A bad decision is better than endless discussion. If you wait for the moment when “everything is ready,” you are already late.

Second: your environment. Growth is only possible in a team of strong people.

Third: do not romanticize burnout. A tired leader makes expensive mistakes. Focus is essential.

People or processes: which is more important to you when scaling?

Strong people create processes. So, people.

– If you set aside status, titles, and projects, what in your work are you truly proud of today?

Status and titles are not at all what I am proud of. Sometimes titles are given to people who are not the strongest. I am proud of the people around me. The team and the environment that have formed around the projects, that is where the real value lies.

And of course, the fact that I had a hand in great projects that will continue to live on even without my involvement.

What is the one rule you never break, in business or in life?

Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.

– Finally, a moment of self-promotion. What are you working on most right now? Are there new products, formats, or launches you would like to share, or perhaps the upcoming MAC deserves a special highlight?

There is very little time left until the MAC’26 conference, and right now all focus is directed there. Surpassing last year is no easy task, but we are doing our best.

Taking this opportunity, I would like to invite everyone to this legendary event. This year, there will be an even larger international audience, even more networking, and of course a great afterparty where you can let off some steam.

I would also like to mention that we recently launched the Partnerkin Accounts service, which helps solve one of the market’s biggest pain points. Wake me up in a hundred years, ask what is happening in media buying, and I will answer: Facebook* is in turmoil.

So if you need solid accounts for running gambling and beyond, we are the ones to turn to.

Who would you suggest as the next hero of iGaming Heroes, and why?

Elon Musk. I have a feeling that if he enters iGaming, the market will simply be reshaped.

But seriously, the most interesting players right now are not the most publicized ones, but rather the most stable ones. Those who have been generating revenue for years and barely appear in the spotlight.

Time to level up in iGaming! Ready to make a name for yourself? Reach out to us, and we’ll quickly discuss everything and find a solution.

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