Press Release

Pollard Banknote Congratulates Subsidiary mkodo On Being Shortlisted For The Women In Tech Best Graduate Employer Award

WINNIPEG, Manitoba, April 11, 2022 /CNW/ – Pollard Banknote Limited (TSX: PBL) (“Pollard Banknote”) is pleased to congratulate its subsidiary mkodo limited (“mkodo”) on being shortlisted for the Best Graduate Employer Award at the Women in Tech (“WIT”) Employer Awards 2022, celebrating employers working hard to help close the gender gap within the technology sector. The Best Graduate Employer Award recognizes employers who go above and beyond to open doors for female science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduates and provide them with the opportunity to kick-start their tech careers.

mkodo, based in the UK, delivers world-class omni-channel apps and web products to the lottery, betting, and gaming sectors, including expert consultancy and app management services. mkodo was shortlisted for its Evolve Scheme Programme, founded over five years ago by mkodo’s Managing Director and Co-Founder, Stuart Godfree. The Programme focuses on investing in the next generation of talented individuals seeking to build their careers in the mobile applications technology field. Participants rotate through major disciplines within the company, including development in multiple coding languages, quality assurance, operations, and business analysis, over 12 to 18 months.

A number of outstanding female employees have joined mkodo via the Evolve Scheme Programme over the years, with many indicating that their participation in the Programme was a catalyst for their careers in the technology field post-grad. “Following completion of the Evolve Scheme Programme in 2017, I started as an Android Engineer at mkodo, where I was able to work on various client projects including Bingo and lottery applications,” said Allison McGlen, Principal Engineer, mkodo. “In 2019, I was given the amazing opportunity of working on a prototype app for a prospective Canadian lottery client, which included a trip to Canada! This turned out to be a driving force for my career at mkodo, as I was given a Lead Engineer role to develop the full Android app alongside a superstar team.”

“On behalf of Pollard Banknote, I congratulate mkodo on this well-deserved recognition by the prestigious WIT Employer Awards,” said Margaret Proven, Executive Vice President, Human Resources, Pollard Banknote. “Empowering and elevating women in the technology sector is of the utmost importance to us, and we are proud of mkodo’s steadfast advocacy for diversity in the workplace.” 

The winner in the Best Graduate Employer category, along with 15 other categories, will be announced on May 26, 2022, at an awards event in London, England. 

About mkodo

mkodo is a leading provider of digital apps and user interfaces for the lottery and gaming industry worldwide. Founded in 2001, the company has been recognized for its core strength to develop and deliver successful digital experiences to the target audience of their customers’ online users. mkodo’s clientele comprises several leading lotteries and gaming companies around the world, including the majority of the Canadian lotteries and some of the largest gaming operators in the U.K. mkodo is also an Associate Member of both the World Lottery Association and the European Lottery Association. For more information, please visit www.mkodo.com.

About Pollard Banknote

Pollard Banknote is a leading lottery partner to more than 60 lotteries worldwide, providing high quality instant ticket products, licensed games, in-lane ticket options, and sales-driving merchandising solutions from its Schafer Retail Solutions + portfolio. It also offers a full suite of digital offerings, ranging from world-class game apps to comprehensive player engagement and iLottery solutions, including strategic marketing and management services. The company is a proven innovator and has decades of experience helping lotteries to maximize player engagement, sales, and proceeds for good causes. Pollard Banknote also provides pull-tab tickets, bingo paper, ticket vending machines, and its Diamond Game and Compliant Gaming electronic games and devices to charitable and other gaming markets in North America.  Established in 1907, Pollard Banknote is owned approximately 64.3% by the Pollard family and 35.7% by public shareholders, and is publicly traded on the TSX (PBL). For more information, please visit our website at www.pollardbanknote.com.

Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements and information, which involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. When used in this document, such statements include such words as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “plan,” and other similar terminology. These statements reflect management’s current expectations regarding future events and operating performance and speak only as of the date of this document. There should not be an expectation that such information will in all circumstances be updated, supplemented, or revised whether as a result of new information, changing circumstances, future events, or otherwise.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Doug Pollard
Co-Chief Executive Officer        
E-mail: dpollard@pbl.ca

John Pollard
Co-Chief Executive Officer        
E-mail: jpollard@pbl.ca

Rob Rose
Chief Financial Officer        
E-mail: rrose@pbl.ca

Pollard Banknote
Telephone: (204)-474-2323