Esports movers and shakers in January, 2021
As we began 2021 — a year we all hope can be better than the previous — there
were, as ever, some key personnel changes in the esports industry.
Each month Esports Insider reports on the industry’s key movers and shakers.
Here we have compiled January’s biggest personnel news. To read more about a
story, just click the corresponding link in the title.
The British org suffered significant losses, which were incurred during its
pre-revenue stage. Curtis also spoke about Guild’s raison d’etre, David
Beckham’s influence on the org’s academy system, the importance of creating a
winning culture, and more.
Guild Esports Executive Chairman on 2021 ambitions and financial results
Guild Esports
GameSquare Esports announces Jan Neumeister as Head of European
Operations
Publicly listed esports and gaming conglomerate GameSquare Esports in
January appointed Jan Neumeister, former FaZe Clan Senior Vice President, as
its new Head of European Operations.
Neumeister will be tasked with driving organic revenue growth in Europe, as well
as identifying cross-selling opportunities with the company’s North American
operations.
Astralis hires Commercial Director, Chief Marketing Officer
Samantha Yu
January was a busy month for Danish esports org Astralis. As well as
announcing a major partnership with Universal Music, the firm also hired two key
members of staff.
The company first announced the hire of Kasper Sindt, formerly of the Danish
Football Association, as its Commercial Director.
Following that, Samantha Yu was brought on as Chief Marketing Officer. Yu was
previously part of Vice Media Group company Refinery29 International, working
as Vice President of Brand & Integrated Marketing.
Former ESL Director Charlie Allen launches commercial esports agency
Charlie Allen
Former ESL Global Brand Partnerships Director Charlie Allen in January
launched Road House, a new commercial esports and gaming agency.
Road House will work with clients to help them appreciate the ‘mass potential of
brand partnerships’ in the esports and gaming space. Allen has also worked for
FOX, Rainmaker Consulting, and Momentum Worldwide.
eFuse expands senior team with Neil Duffy and Herb May appointments
Esports start-up eFuse has appointed Neil Duffy as Chief Revenue Officer, and
Herb May as Director of Partnerships.
Duffy was formerly CSL Esports Chief Commercial Officer. May previously
worked for Overwatch League franchise Houston Outlaws.
With aims of helping amateur and college esports competitors carve careers in
the space, eFuse refers to itself as the ‘LinkedIn for gamers’.
Dominic Sacco leaves British Esports Association, pursues Esports News
UK full-time
Former Head of Content for the British Esports Association, Dominic Sacco, is
stepping down from his role at BEA to pursue Esports News UK — a news site
he founded in 2015 — in a full-time capacity.
Sacco told Esports Insider last month that he also plans to launch a consultancy
service to ‘help educate brands looking to take their first steps into the esports
market, with a specific focus on the UK’.
HelloFresh founding member appointed Skrmiish CEO
Luke Grob
Luke Grob, a founding member and former VP of Operations & Product at
HelloFresh, has been appointed CEO of Skrmiish.
Skrmiish allows users to sync devices for ‘seamless result-reporting every game’
— theoretically reducing result disputes in gaming. Click the link in the title to
read more about Skrmiish or the company’s new CEO.
DreamHack Sports Games appoints Scott Steedman as CCO
DreamHack Sports Games has appointed sports industry veteran Scott
Steedman as its new Chief Commercial Officer.
Steedman will lead all the teams, plus the sales and marketing efforts, of Modern
Times Group’s sports simulation business unit (Modern Times Group is
DreamHack’s parent organisation).
