Black Pearl Group has appointed Max Polaczuk as Vice President of Artificial Intelligence, marking a strategic elevation of the role of AI within the company.
The company seeks to integrate AI deeply into its operations, viewing it as essential to its business strategies. As highlighted by Nick Lissette, Founder & CEO of Black Pearl Group, "It's no secret that AI has become the rocket-fuel of ambitious businesses. At Black Pearl, we're on a mission to innovate at a speed that sees us stay as far ahead of our competitors as possible. As such, AI isn't a department; it's business as usual and elevating AI to an executive function underscores its central role in our decision-making, product development and market leadership."
Lissette further elaborated on the choice of Polaczuk for the role: "Max has a track record of anticipating industry shifts and building AI-powered businesses from the ground up, making him the ideal leader to accelerate Black Pearl's AI-first vision. Max will help us set the pace for a future where intelligent automation and advanced data insights continue to fuel our success."
Polaczuk has an extensive background in AI, having previously developed and scaled Sportsflare, an AI-powered eSports betting platform that was acquired by Entain in 2023 for over NZD $15 million. This venture significantly advanced the betting industry with innovations such as real-time micro-markets and AI-powered betting solutions.
Beyond Sportsflare, Polaczuk co-founded Idyllic, a startup focused on making AI-driven creativity more accessible, and has conducted research in machine learning cited by leading tech firms such as Google and Amazon. He has also advised sectors across both private and public domains in New Zealand.
Reflecting on his career and his new role at Black Pearl Group, Polaczuk stated, "I've been building AI products for a long time - well before AI entered the mainstream business arena in 2022. At Black Pearl, I'll do what I do best: build AI products that generate real revenue. This isn't just about innovation for the sake of it; it's about driving business growth. AI is central to Black Pearl's future, and we're moving at full speed to build that future."
Polaczuk is recognised not just for his strategic insight but also for his ability to bring ideas to fruition, a capability he refers to as moving from 'zero to one'. This approach has been pivotal in stimulating innovation and the effective application of new technology within his teams.
Max Polaczuk has already made a significant impact at Black Pearl with the development of Bebop, an AI-driven sales intelligence tool. Bebop, developed in a single quarter, offers sales intelligence at a reduced cost relative to competitors and assists in identifying potential customers rapidly.
The introduction of Bebop follows the earlier success of Pearl Diver, an AI-driven prospect identification platform by Black Pearl Group. Pearl Diver utilises AI technology to transform website traffic into potential leads, optimising revenue generation and reducing reliance on expensive digital marketing strategies.
Lissette praised Polaczuk's impact on the swift development of Bebop, saying, "Max played a pivotal role in bringing Bebop to market at unprecedented speed; it was really astounding. This is the new norm for Black Pearl - AI-driven innovation, delivered at pace."
He added, "With Max at the helm of AI, Black Pearl Group is doubling down on its mission to lead the charge in AI-powered product innovation. The future isn't just coming - it's being built at Black Pearl."
