20 MAY 2025
From poker fan to leading global live events, Hayley Louise Clarke has spent the last 17 years building a career defined by passion, adaptability, and heart. Now a Senior Operations & Performance Manager at PokerStars, Hayley has worked on more than 150 events around the world. In this interview, she reflects on how it all began, the lessons learned along the way, and what continues to inspire her after nearly two decades in the game.
Tell us how your journey with PokerStars began. What brought you to the company?
In 2007 I moved out of my family home to be with my boyfriend (now husband of 15 years) in London. We started off living at his dad’s house while we looked for our first place together. I didn’t know anyone in London and wasn’t familiar with the city at all, so his dad, who was a London Bus Driver, took me around and explained where I should look for work and which companies were good.
I loved playing online poker. I used to play on PKR, if anyone remembers it. You could create your own avatar, walk around the casino, sit at tables, use different emotions and gestures, and chat with the people you were playing with. It was like an online poker chat room.
This is why when I saw a position with REED for a Registrations Coordinator at PokerStars, it felt like my dream job. Poker, events, finance, and travel all in one.
What was your first live event like?
My first event was EPT Budapest in 2008. Leonard Geylikman came over from Canada to train me on everything related to registrations for a couple of weeks.
As the events grew, I needed a team. I hired two people in Costa Rica, Julio Chaves and Roberto Cruz, and a couple more in London.
How did your role develop over time?
I had a team of six and was promoted to Registration Manager when we moved to the new office on Air Street in London near Piccadilly Circus.
By then, I was five years into my journey at PokerStars and had worked on more than 50 live events across the EPT and various regional tours.
It was also during this time that I met both founders of PokerStars, Isai and Mark Scheinberg. We had a "find the golden M&M" competition where if you picked the right tin, you got a photo with the Scheinbergs and a £2,000 travel voucher. I was lucky enough to win!
You relocated to Malta at one point. What led to that move?
Just after returning from my second maternity leave in 2014, I was offered the opportunity to relocate to Malta. A few of us from the Live Events team moved from London with our families.
At the time, my children were only 11 months and 3 years old. We packed up our lives and our car and started a new chapter in Malta, where we stayed for the next seven years.
I was promoted to Senior Customer Engagement Manager. After many years behind the registrations desk, I wanted to get more involved in the operations side of events and in shaping the experience we offer to players.
What happened during the pandemic when live events were paused?
During COVID, PokerStars adapted quickly. Some of us were assigned to work with Support to handle the increase in online player activity.
We also spent that time planning how we would return with a bang once events came back. That’s when the modern live event experience was born.
We brought back the goodie bags and hoodies and added even more. Activities, parties, Spin the Wheel giveaways, better feedback collection, faster and more efficient registration processes, and the PokerStars LIVE app all came from that planning.
What inspired your move back to England?
In 2022, PokerStars supported me in relocating back to England. My children were getting older and moving into secondary school, and after COVID we felt we had missed so much time with family.
The company gave me the flexibility to keep my same job and team. The support was always there!
Can you share a career lesson that has stayed with you?
One of my early memories is making what felt like a huge financial mistake. I thought I had to tell my boss.
I built up the courage, and her response was better than I ever could have hoped for. She thanked me for telling her, for owning up before someone else found out, and even praised me for having the courage to speak up.
It taught me a lesson I’ve carried into my own management style. Own your mistakes, learn from them, and don’t hide them. You’ll be recognized for your honesty and your growth.
Where are you now in your PokerStars journey and what keeps you going?
I am now Senior Operations and Performance Manager. I’ve just crossed the 150 live event milestone. Seventeen years in, and I still absolutely love working in the PokerStars Live Events team.
We’re faced with challenges all the time that require us to think on our feet, but the job is incredibly rewarding.
Seeing the game change people’s lives, being a part of the amazing experiences and memories created at live events, working with an outstanding team, and having shared so many moments across countries and years, it all keeps me going.
The flexibility, the support, and the chance to be a successful working mum all play a part. To this day, I truly believe PokerStars is one of the best companies to work for.
