Blackpearl Group Elevates AI To An Executive Function With Appointment Of VP Of Artificial Intelligence

Wellington, New Zealand – 12 March 2025

Black Pearl Group Limited (NZX:BPG) has appointed serial tech entrepreneur Max Polaczuk as Vice President of Artificial Intelligence. This strategic move underscores Blackpearl’s ambition to position AI at the core of its operations, not just as a function but as a fundamental driver of business growth and innovation.

“It’s no secret that AI has become the rocket-fuel of ambitious businesses. At Blackpearl, 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,” comments Nick Lissette, Founder & CEO, Blackpearl Group.

He adds “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 Blackpearl’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.”

Deep roots in pioneering AI solutions

As the driving force behind Sportsflare, Polaczuk built and scaled an AI-powered eSports betting platform that was acquired in 2023 by Entain for over NZ$15m. Sportsflare’s technology transformed the industry by introducing real-time micro-markets, AI-powered bet builders and performance-based betting solutions, proving that AI could revolutionise digital engagement in entirely new ways.

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Beyond Sportsflare, Polaczuk also co-founded Idyllic, a Wellington-based AI startup focused on democratising generative content creation. Idyllic’s platform makes AI-driven creativity accessible to everyone, blending cutting-edge technology with an intuitive user experience to help people produce content both faster and more accurately.

In addition, his machine learning research has been cited by leading tech companies and universities, including Google and Amazon, and he has consulted on AI systems across both the private and public sectors in New Zealand. Prior to joining Blackpearl Group, Max built large-scale AI systems at Xero, working alongside Blackpearl Group’s CTO, Sam Daish.

"I’ve been building AI products for a long time - well before AI entered the mainstream business arena in 2022. At Blackpearl, 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 Blackpearl’s future, and we’re moving at full speed to build that future," sais Polaczuk, Vice President of Artificial Intelligence, Blackpearl Group.

Strategic know-how combined with all important execution

Polaczuk isn’t just a strategist; he’s also a builder with the ability to take ideas from concept to reality - or as he calls it ‘zero to one’. This unique ability to work simultaneously both in and on the business has been key to inspiring the teams he’s managed to move fast, innovate with confidence and harness new technology to its full potential.

Bebop: AI innovation at Blackpearl’s speed

This mindset has already taken shape at Blackpearl, where Max led the rapid development of Bebop, the company’s AI-powered sales intelligence tool, in a single quarter. Bebop is a game-changer for SMEs, offering powerful sales intelligence at a fraction of the cost of competitors like ZoomInfo, Kaspr and Apollo. In seconds, Bebop can analyse a virtually limitless number of companies to identify customers with a want and need for your products and services and inform you on how to best communicate with them.

The launch of Bebop follows the success of Pearl Diver, Blackpearl Group’s flagship prospect identification platform. Pearl Diver transforms website visitors into prospects by using AI-driven identity resolution technology, unlocking new revenue streams and reducing dependence on costly digital advertising.

"Max played a pivotal role in bringing Bebop to market at unprecedented speed; it was really astounding. This is the new norm for Blackpearl - AI-driven innovation, delivered at pace," comments Lissette.

“With Max at the helm of AI, Blackpearl 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 Blackpearl,” he concludes.

About Blackpearl Group (NZX: BPG)

Blackpearl Group is a market-leading data technology company that pioneers AI-driven, sales and marketing solutions for the US market.

Specifically engineered for small-medium-sized businesses (SMEs), Blackpearl Group consistently delivers exceptional value to its customers. Our mantra is simple: ‘Creating Motivating Opportunities.’

Blackpearl creates the opportunities that motivate action. We create high-impact products that pivot at speed to serve what businesses really need, kick-starting action – turning data into dollars.

Founded in 2012, Blackpearl Group is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and Phoenix, Arizona. blackpearl.com

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