After several relocations, Larisa Maksimova felt she’d lost her professional footing. Securing the UK Global Talent Visa gave her the stability to re-enter the market with intent. Today she’s Head of Marketing at Sporty Group, building global sports entertainment and tech products. In this interview, she explains how the visa unlocked opportunity and momentum
The Global Talent Visa has been life-changing. After years of relocations, I felt I’d lost my professional identity, the network I had built over the years, and the transparency of my next steps. The visa gave me stability and allowed me to enter the competitive UK job market on my own terms. The transition wasn’t easy — even small moves turned out to be stressful — but it opened doors that would otherwise have been closed. My very first UK job became the best step of my career, leading me to Sporty Group, where I now lead our global marketing. Since my family had never been to the UK before, it was quite daunting at first, but it quickly felt right.
I lead marketing strategy across Sporty Group’s products and markets. It’s a fast-moving environment where we launch existing services in new countries and constantly build new products for sports fans around the world. When I joined the company, I was able to fully leverage my previous experience at Playrix, and one milestone was building our mobile marketing division from scratch — setting up attribution, implementing an MMP, creating a vision for user acquisition channels, and developing a strategy for ASO and push notifications. This transformed the business and created a strong foundation for future growth. I’m very proud of our results and I know that none of this would have been possible for me without the Talent Visa. Many companies don’t relocate employees, and to compete with local candidates the best option is to have this visa and not be dependent on sponsorship.
My career has been about global entertainment for many years. At Yandex.Mediaservices, I led media advertising for entertainment services and launched our products in new markets. After that, I was CMO at IVI, the largest streaming service in Russia, and later at Playrix, where I drove user acquisition for mobile games worldwide with a strong focus on the Chinese market. Moving to the UK and joining Sporty Group felt like a natural next step toward managing marketing at a truly global scale. When we reviewed visa options, the Global Talent route was the best fit — especially for families. Unlike the US O1, it gives equal rights to partners, allowing both to work and build a life.
Absolutely. I see the Global Talent Visa as one of the strongest immigration programs worldwide. It provides security and independence: my family and I have the same rights as citizens to work, study, or start a business. The greatest advantage is freedom — I don’t need to worry about my legal status or what tomorrow may bring. It allows me to fully focus on my work today, be creative, and build new things. It’s truly empowering and career-defining.
Let me be honest — it really felt like a second job. Every day after my main work, I would sit down to prepare the case. You must assemble a huge archive: recommendation letters, salary proof, equity, media mentions, interviews, and more. I reconnected with colleagues, bosses, mentors, partners — revisiting my professional history in depth. At first the process seems overwhelming, but once you begin, step by step you collect the pieces. Weeks of work turned into a complete case, and the effort paid off. It’s demanding, but absolutely achievable with focus and persistence.
Our plan is to continue building a life here. My family and I are happy with our choice — the UK combines comfort with vast professional opportunities. I’ve joined communities like “Ladies Who Tech” and the Global Talent network, which have helped expand my professional circle. I also became a member of one of the popular social clubs and even gave a talk at a conference in London in English. Integration into the Russian-speaking community came naturally, but integration into British society takes time and effort. Step by step, we’re building the life we imagined when we moved.
Go for it! The list of requirements may look intimidating, but it’s all doable if you break it down step by step. Most importantly, don’t be discouraged by rejection. My first application was denied on every point, but I appealed and was approved. Tech Nation’s decisions can be inconsistent — what’s rejected once can succeed on appeal. My advice is simple: prepare thoroughly, stay persistent, and don’t give up. The result is worth every effort.
