ABOUT
Tired of the same old conference format and panel talks? So are we.
While we may not be able to meet and greet face to face currently, we’ve come up with the perfect solution to connect, learn and network in the digital world.
Welcome to the ESI Digital Summit (14:00-20:00 BST over 26-27th May). Our first and esports’ largest online conference event to date. We’re running two-days of enthralling content offering expert insight into a myriad of hot-topics across the industry. Whether you’re looking at the latest; brands and sponsorships, investments, betting, sports, broadcast innovations, data and more, we’re certain there’s something for you.
We’ll also be providing opportunities to connect and network with delegates from the comfort of your own home with our networking platform provided by Brella. Allowing you to set up meetings and get those key conversations going on, native to the platform or elsewhere.
As we are unable at this time to offer our usual offering of great hospitality, food, drink and atmosphere. We hope you’re still as keen as we are to come together and get involved and start talking about the industry and this important time.
Together we all make esports happen, so sit back, relax and invite us in to your homes, so we can all take the next step forward.
ESI Digital Summit, the online industry showcase, is not one to miss. #ESIDIGITAL
HOW IT WORKS
ESI Digital Summit will use Brella to provide bespoke matchmaking opportunities and two streams of live content across both days of the conference.
VIRTUAL AGENDA
A virtual agenda, customisable to feature your own meetings and the ability to opt into any of the myriad panels offered up across the two day event.
CONTENT LIVESTREAMS
Two live streams chock full of industry leading content. Tune in between 14:00-19:00 for industry leading insights and discussion on developments within the esports sphere.
NETWORKING MATCHMAKER
Brella’s advanced AI based matchmaking will ensure that you’ll have no shortage of great connections to make to take the next step with your business in these turbulent times.
VIRTUAL EXHIBITIONS
Check out our virtual exhibition to meet and talk with massive companies and get their insights on our rapidly changing space.
Check out our virtual exhibition to meet and talk with massive companies and get their insights on our rapidly changing space.
AGENDA
- TRACK 1
- TRACK 2
14:00 - 14:05
Opening Remarks Details:
Sam Cooke, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Esports Insider welcomes delegates, speakers and partners to the first ESI Digital Summit.
Speakers:
Sam Cooke - MD and Co-Founder - ESI
14:05 - 14:35
ESI Brand Showcase #1 - Rogue x Kia Details:
The ESI Brand Showcases invite esports rights holders and select commercial partners to the stage to present on a recent, successful esports activation. The partners will shed light on how the deal came about, how they've activated successfully in the esports marketplace as well as how it has compared to similar marketing spend in more"traditional" markets.
Speakers:
Anna Baumann - Managing Director & General Counsel - Rogue Sports Europe
14:35 - 15:05
Brand Showcase #2 - Fnatic and OnePlus Details:
Eric and Edward will take a look at how the partnership came into being, through a shared passion for community and connecting with gamers.
They will discuss the inclusion of Fnatic Mode on OnePlus devices, Nemesis and his role as an authentic ambassador and the important role ambassadors play. They will also explore the launch of the Fnatic PUBG Mobile Team in India, and further potential for teams to be added to the Fnatic Roster, as well OnePlus's commitment to creating the best experience for mobile gamers.
Speakers:
Edward Gregory, Partnerships Manager, Fnatic
Eric Gass, Director of Global Brand Partnerships for OnePlus
15:05 - 15:35
Brand Showcase #3 - LEC x KitKat Details:
Join Riot Games and KitKat as they share how their partnership originated, what a successful activation in the esports marketplace looks like compared to more traditional markets, and how KitKat successfully pivoted to social media activation during COVID-19
Speakers:
Alban Dechelotte - Head of Partnerships & Business Development - Riot Games EMEA
15:35 - 16:05
ESI & CSM Exclusive Announcement Esports Insider and CSM will be making a live announcement that you won’t want to miss. Exclusive to the ESI Digital Summit, event attendees will be the first to know, and the first to be able to ask questions and find out more.
Speakers:
Sam Cooke - MD & Co-Founder - Esports Insider
James Gallagher-Powell - Corporate Strategy Director and Esports Lead - CSM Sport and Entertainment
Debs Scott-Bowden - Account Director - CSM Sport and Entertainment
16:05 - 16:15
Break
16:15 - 17:00
Records broken amidst the esports viewership boom - what's this all mean for brands? Details:
With concurrent player records being broken across Steam (CS:GO, Rocket League) and viewership records being shattered across streaming platforms by the likes of ESL Pro League and more, whilst sports first properties such as F1 and NASCAR have been seeing unexpectedly high audiences across television and OTT, brands are paying more attention now than ever before.
How do esports rights holders take advantage of this new found attention and interest? Moreover, it's a sensitive time for major brands to make a big splash in a new space, and so how should they go about entering, is it a case of learning to walk before they run?
Moderator
James Gallagher-Powell - Corporate Strategy Director and Esports Lead - CSM
Speakers:
Carlos Alimurung - CEO - ONE Esports
Taylor Heitzig-Rhodes, Agent, Evolved Talent Agency
Julien Dupont - Head of Partnerships - Team Vitality
Charlie Allen - Global Brand Partnerships - ESL Gaming
Presented by Promod
17:00 - 17:45
Back to the future - The return of online esports Details:
With live events an impossibility currently, we have seen a huge shift back to the online leagues and tournaments of the past. WePlay very quickly hosted an online tournament to raise money for charity. Meanwhile ESL Pro League and FLASHPOINT have soldiered on with their seasons.
What differences does this have from offline circuits both for T.O.'s & viewers alike? And how important will the presence of online tournaments be for the industry during this unprecedented time?
Moderator
Heather Dower - Managing Director - Hotdrop
Speakers
James Dean - CEO - ESL UK
Anders Blume - Creative Director - Skybox
17:45 - 18:30
Esports Investments in 2020 - Opportunity and Challenges Details:
Due to the recent pandemic we may have seen a less rocky time in the esports industry as opposed to others, but one facet that has certainly been affected is the investment landscape. With many from VC's, to family funds and angel investors rocked by market downturn we explore what this means for esports businesses seeking investment. Will they need to reduce their financing aims? Or is esports now a sought after string to investors bows?
We sit down with some of the leading investment groups in the space to explore what challenges and opportunities investors and companies face over the next year.
Moderator:
Michael Kogan - Managing Director - Canaccord Genuity
Speakers:
Spike Laurie - Venture Director - Hiro Capital
Dave Martin - Director - Esports Global
Archie Stonehill - Investor - Makers Fund
Christian Christoefl - Senior Associate - Deloitte Corporate Finance
18:15 - 19:15
The Clutch Digital Details:
Four esports related companies, at various stages of fundraising, will pitch live to a panel of esteemed judges and investors in the esports space. May the strong survive.
Judges
Malte Barth - Founding Partner - BITKRAFT
Fabio La Franca - Investment Director - Station12
David Gowans - Head of Creative Technologies, Games and Esports - Barclays
David Martin - Director - Esports Global Fund
Patrick Mahoney - CEO - We Are Nations
Presented by Esports Global
TABLE ONE
TABLE TWO
14:00 - 14:05
Opening RemarksDetails:
Sam Cooke, Managing Director & Co-Founder of Esports Insider welcomes delegates, speakers and partners to the first ESI Digital Summit.
Speakers:
Sam Cooke - MD and Co-Founder - ESI
14:05 - 14:35
THINK - Esports in Japan, has a sleeping giant awoken, or merely been stirred?A talk from PlayBrain founder on the current state of play when it comes to esports in Japan, how quickly are things progressing following the governmental barriers to the industry's growth locally being lifted? which are the major titles, who are the stakeholders and what comes next?
Speakers:
Mike Sheetal (マイケル・シタール) - CEO - PlayBrain
14:50 - 15:35
THINK - Gathering pace: How the esports industry in South East Asia is fast gaining tractionDetails:
The SEA market is undoubtedly one of the most interesting developing esports markets in the world.
According to Niko Partners, the number of PC gamers is expected to increase by over 32 million people in the next five years, whilst more than 40% of smartphone owners play mobile games. Expected revenues from PC and mobile are reported to increase up to 60% by 2023 which makes this region the fastest growing globally by this metric. It's easy to see how esports will form a part of that increased interest, spend and attention.
But looking at the here and now, how do Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand compare to the likes of China, South Korea, and the US and European markets? Why does the SEA region not hold any of the franchise slots in global franchise leagues? What does the region need to do to close the gap on the rest of the world - despite producing some top tier players?
Moderator:
Allan Phang - Head of Marketing & PR - Evos Esports
Speakers:
Ronald Robins - CEO - Mineski
Michael Patent - President & Founder - Culture Group
Terence Ting - CEO & Founder - Team Flash
Crispin Tristram - VP Digital Lifestyle Services -Telekomsel
15:35 - 16:20
THINK - How integral is the development of media rights in esports to the industry at large?Details:
YouTube Gaming made a big splash this year securing the exclusive rights to the Overwatch League, Call of Duty League, and other Activision Blizzard properties including Hearthstone. This sees arguably the biggest threat, or signal of intent, yet to Twitch's dominance.
We've also seen DAZN secure Brazilian rights for Blast, and in general the media rights landscape across esports is gathering pace. With the likes of the Virtua F1 and eNASCAR airing on television and generating strong numbers, it's an excellent time for the rights holders in the esports space to better negotiate with broadcasters.
How will this look? What do fans want, and what will they 'accept'? Moreover, how important is the development of media rights to the growth of the industry as a whole, and how may the trickle down effect positively impact teams and everyone else?
Moderator:
Irene Scholl-Tatevosyan, Esports & Gaming Group Lead. Nixon Peabody
Speakers:
Allan Hvid - Head of Esports and Football - TV 2 SPORT
Torsten Haux VP Global Media Rights
16:20 - 17:05
'The New Normal' - What's next for esports related venues of all shapes and sizes post-Quarantine?With esports live events and venues closed worldwide due to COVID-19. We take a deep dive into how venues are preparing for life in a post-quarantine world. From arenas to gaming cafes and bars, our panelists will provide insight into their businesses and their plans to welcome to welcome customers and fans in to their venues, and whether they will have to make changes to their models.
Moderator
Tatiana Tacca - Director of Esports - Momentum
Speakers:
Tomaso Portunato - CEO - Platform
Paige Funk - Head of Marketing - Nerd St Gamers
Nikita Buffee - Business Development Manager - Allied
Chi Bhatia - Senior Designer - HKS Sports & Entertainment
17:00 - 17:45
THINK - Ravens Till I Die? Can city based esports teams mirror the success of their sporting counterparts?Will Londoners take to Royal Ravens, or Parisians Eternal? Will New Yorkers embrace the Subliners, is there a Spark in Hangzhou, and will Atlantans Faze Up?
With big money city based leagues in not one but two Activision Blizzard titles (Overwatch and Call of Duty) how are teams the league operators creating and moulding local fanbases? Moreover, how successful can this model be, what are the challenges and how closely should it follow sports?
Moderator:
Kirsty Endfield - Founder and CEO - Swipe Right PR
Speakers:
Herb May - Director of Corporate Partnerships - Houston Outlaws
Rod ‘Slasher’ Breslau - World’s No.1 Esports Consultant
Chester King - Co-Owner - London Royal Ravens
17:05 - 17:15
BREAK
17:45 - 18:30
THINK - Keeping Match Fit - Nutrition and well-being in esports - how important is it?It's no longer a surprise seeing top tier esports orgs employing a team of psychologists, chefs and nurtitionists for their pro teams. We've seen how important these roles have been across traditional sports, with most professionals kept to a strict diet. The same can be said for esports, though pro-players may not be exerting themselves as physically as Cristiano Ronaldo or Lebron James, they must ensure they in the right mindset for peak performance. This panel will explore the tactics and importance of keeping professional player healthy and how it impacts their ability overall.
Moderator:
Adam Fitch - Editor - Esports Insider
Speakers:
Skyler Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder, CTRL
Ryan Scollan - CEO - G-Science
Taylor Johnson MS - Chief Performance Engineer - Statespace Labs
18:30 - 19:00
How to transform challenges into opportunities - WePlay! Esports case studyDetails:
Oleh and Anton will share insights on how creativity and adaptability helped WePlay! Esports to continue impress the community with high-quality tournaments and media content despite the lockdown.
The speakers will present case studies featuring charity marathon WeSave! Charity Play and WePlay! Pushka League Season 1. Join the discussion on how to organise a Tier 1 Dota 2 event in 7 days from scratch or how to make an outstanding tournament’s visual style by changing your brand book.
Speakers
Oleh Humeniuk, General Manager at WePlay! Esports
Anton Gribovskiy, VP Sales & Marketing at WePlay! Esports
Presented by WePlay! Esports
AGENDA
- TRACK 1
- TRACK 2
14:00 - 14:45
The Esports Betting Boom - How esports has provided a lifeline for European sports betting operators Details:
With the current downtime in sports, esports has proven to be an invaluable source of revenue for betting operators worldwide. With huge increases in player and betting volumes seen across esports markets. Without esports, some operators may have struggled to offer enough action on their sportsbook. But what have been the key take-aways from this esports betting boom? Who have been the winners and losers? And what can we expect when sports return?
Speakers
Quentin Martin, CEO, Luckbox
Stepan Shulga - Head of Esports - Parimatch
Pavol Krasnovsky - CEO - RTSmunity
14:45 - 15:15
Expanding the options - From player focused markets, to new titles, what are, and might players bet on across esports? CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Most Kills, First Blood, Maps...betting in esports can be almost as varied as the games themselves.
With new platforms emerging all the time, some focusing on fans of esports titles, and others on introducing existing sports bettors to the space, there is a lot of innovation and a lot of testing right now. What works? What doesn't? Come and find out from some of the best in the business.
Speakers
Phil Adams - CEO - RPGG Media
Sujoy Roy - Esports Director - Midnite
Adam Savinson - Head of Esports - Betway
Marek Suchar - Head of Partnerships - Oddin
15:15 - 15:45
Pinnacle and GRID - Powering esports betting Details:
A significant partnership agreement was struck in the esports betting world back in September 2019; that between Berlin-based esports data company GRID, and bookmaker and supplier Pinnacle.
They will define core considerations of industry trends in esports and wagering, the role of different stakeholders, and the viability of this approach between these two industry leaders. This will give attendees a clear picture of how they, uniquely, tackle esports betting and data
Speakers:
Moritz Maurer - GRID - CEO
Marco Blume - Trading Director - Pinnacle
Sponsors: GRID
15:45 - 16:15
ESIC Regulatory Update Details:
ESIC Commissioner, Ian Smith, will share an update on the increase in betting activity on esports since coronavirus, the changes in the nature of the games people are betting on and the punters who have entered the esports space in the first quarter of 2020. Ian will also review the slow burn increase in licensed esports betting in the US post PASPA repeal and why this could be a game changer for the whole industry.
Speakers
Ian Smith - Commissioner - ESIC
16:15 - 16:30
Break
16:30 - 17:00
Viva Las Vegas - How Nevada is warming up to esports wagers In the past six weeks, it's now hard to keep up with the amount of esports events, everything from CS:GO to League of Legends, iRacing and more, that have been sanctioned for wagering in the state of Nevada.
This panel will dissect the current state of play in regards to esports betting in Las Vegas, the journey to this point, and what's next.
Moderator
Mitch Reames - Journalist - Adweek and ESI
Speakers
Dr Brett Abarbanel - University of Nevada
Seth Schorr, CEO, Fifth Street Gaming
Blaine Graboyes - CEO - GameCo
17:00 - 17:45
Sports meets Esports #1 - Sim Racing, Record Breaking These Sports Meets Esports sessions focus on collaborations and crossovers between the worlds of 'traditional' sports and esports. During these COVID-19 times, we are seeing this now more than ever, but that said it's nothing new. From Formula 1, to the NBA, NASCAR, FIFA, and not to mention the amount of sports teams and their owners investing in, and/or acquiring esports properties, we will explore and hear from some of the most successful.
Moderator:
Ben Rossiter-Turner - Head of Esports - Motorsport Games
Speakers
Dr. Julian Tan - Head of Digital Business Initiatives and Esports - Formula 1
Stefy Bau - Founder & Director - Init Esports
Jamie MacLaurin - Chief Sporting Officer and Co-Founder - Veloce Esports
Darren Cox - President and CEO - Torque Esports
17:45 - 18:30
Sports meets Esports #2 - FIFA 20 > Football These Sports Meets Esports sessions focus on collaborations and crossovers between the worlds of 'traditional' sports and esports. During these COVID-19 times, we are seeing this now more than ever, but that said it's nothing new. From Formula 1, to the NBA, NASCAR, FIFA, and not to mention the amount of sports teams and their owners investing in, and/or acquiring esports properties, we will explore and hear from some of the most successful.
Moderator
Trev Keane, Head of sports/esports, 7F
Speaker
Martin Wyatt - Global Head of Strategic Partnerships - Gfinity
Seb Carmichael-Brown - Commercial Director - Hashtag Utd
Yinsu Collins - Freelance Journalist
18:30 - 19:30
Sports meets Esports #3 Misfits, Miami Heat and Orlando Magic
Details:
When esports orgs and traditional sports teams combine forces, it’s a powerful combination of fan knowledge, innovation and centuries of experience.
In this panel, Lagen Nash, SVP, Head of Global Partnerships for the Florida based Misfits Gaming Group will explore their successful partnership with the Miami Heat (with guest Lauren Cochran, Senior Director, Interactive Media) and Orlando Magic (with guest Ryan DeVos, Director of Magic Gaming) and discusses the points of convergence and collaboration when it comes to business development, operations and strategy between esports and their traditional partners.
Moderator:
Speakers:
Lagen Nash - SVP, Head of Global Partnerships - Misfits
Lauren Cochran - Senior Director, Interactive Marketing - Miami Heat
Ryan DeVos - Director of Magic Gaming - Orlando Magic
TABLE ONE
TABLE TWO
14:00 - 14:45
Mobile World Domination? The reasons why mobile esports can succeed in the WestDeatails:
Make no mistake, mobile esports in certain regions, especially India, China and South East Asia, is well and truly booming. PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends, Garena Free Fire, and Arena of Valor have sizable player bases and consistent viewership, and moreover, these figures are on the rise.
According to Stream Hatchet the four most popular mobile games across Twitch, YouTubeGaming, Mixer, Facebook Gaming have already grown 78% in hours watched since January 1st 2020. PUBG Mobile leads all mobile games with 322 million hours watched this year.
With COD Mobile and Critical Force two weighty mobile FPS options in their own right, not to mention the likes of Clash Royale and Brawl Stars, and with high end phones becoming ever more capable of facilitating excellent gaming options, it's surely only a matter of time before mobile esports' popularity translates to the West. Isn't it...
Moderator
Kirsty Endfield - Founder - Swipe Right PR
Speakers:
Jeff Chau - Founder - GameGether
Akshat Rathee - Managing Director - Nodwin Gaming
Patrick ‘Chief Pat’ Carney - CEO - Tribe Gaming
14:45 - 15:30
The future of tournaments post-COVIDDeatails:
The global pandemic has put companies worldwide to the ultimate test; but esports is in a more unique position than most to be able to adjust.
From record viewership reported by Twitch and others on certain titles, to records being broken on Steam, and a general increase in coverage by 'mainstream media', the future seems bright for esports. That said esports has still been hit very hard by COVID. The cancellation of major events such as Valve’s ‘The International’ and numerous others hurts the tournament organisers, and teams alike, with a domino effect for the wider industry. Esports companies will suffer a loss in 2020, but arguably they're also well placed to strongly position themselves longer term if they play their cards right.
This panel explores what tournaments will look like 'post-COVID', and how long we should expect online only, to Return To Play behind closed doors, and what this means for all involved.
Moderator:
Ian Smith - Commissioner - ESIC
Speakers:
James Dean - CEO - ESL UK
Nicolas Estrup - Director of Product & Experience - BLAST
Jonas Gundersen - COO - Ninjas in Pyjamas
Rob Black - CEO - Promod
15:30 - 16:00
Malta - A new home for esportsEnglish football has Wembley, boxing has Las Vegas, whilst esports has Cologne and Katowice for CS:GO, with League of Legends home in Europe being Berlin.
However, this panel will take a deep dive into Malta, which has opened its doors to esports and aims to offer a home for esports businesses in the heart of the Mediterranean.
Speakers:
Ivan Filletti - COO - Gaming Malta
16:00 - 16:45
Content and creating a unique brand - How to stand out from the esports crowdDetails:
In a highly competitive and increasingly busy space it’s vital to carve out a unique identity for yourself as an esports organisation. How do you do that? A core ethos, a mantra, a great design and marketing team...of course your content needs to reflect that too.
With people forced to remain at home, the 'at-screen' time for most will have spiked drastically too.. How do you get those eyeballs in a world where it seems everyone and their dogs and cats are now content creators? For esports teams, tournament operators and others it's vital to remain relevant but the question is, how do you stand out and be a cut above the rest?
Moderator
Adam Fitch - Editor - Esports Insider
Speakers
Jakub Lund Kristensen - Founder and CCO - Astralis
Christie St. Martin - Gaming Director - IMC
Carl Kuhn - Account Director - Esports - Jung von Matt
Tricia Sugita - CEO - FlyQuest
Sponsors
Presented by Hotdrop
16:45 - 17:00
Break
17:00 - 17:45
The bubble won't burst, but the dam is leaking - should we expect consolidation in esports in 2020?Details:
How much are esports teams and properties actually worth? We've all seen the sky high valuations, and the Forbes articles, but getting down to it, how much smoke and mirrors is there? Yes, esports is huge and growing, and the potential is undeniable, but right now it's a fractured,top heavy ecosystem in which many stakeholders find it difficult to properly monetise and profit for a myriad of reasons. We explore whether due to this situation, we should as an industry expect some consolidation in the near future.
Speakers
Dave Fenlon - Managing Director - Media Exchange Group
Mika Kuusisto - CEO - ENCE
17:45 - 18:30
Esports as the game-changer for academic educationPresented by the University of Staffordshire
Details:
Long Public Enemy No.1 of home and school work alike, gaming and more specifically esports are slowly but surely becoming a part of curriculums throughout the education pyramid in the UK.
With the recent announcement of British Esports Association's partnership with Pearson for BTECs nationwide, to universities from Leicester to Staffordshire and more implementing modules and full degree programs focused on esports, the appetite is clearly there. How is it being brought in, what are the students learning and how are they being prepared for the working world? Find out here!
Moderator:
Rachel Gowers - Director - Staffordshire University London
Speakers:
Dr. Bobbie Fletcher - Head of Department for Games and Visual Effects - Staffordshire University London
James Fraser-Murison - Director of Learning & Esports Teacher - Queen Mary’s college
Josh Williams, Founder, The NUEL
18:30 - 19:15
The future of Collegiate esports - A new frontier for educationDetails:
Collegiate esports has seen fantastic growth and support, with leagues and associations across Asia, Europe and of course North America. The latter has certainly blossomed into a would be leader, with multiple leagues and a host of Universities taking this very seriously.
How do we measure its success? Will it serve as the training grounds for future star players? And how will it flourish from an educational perspective, serving as the academy for future; Marketeers, production teams, coaches and entrepreneurs?
Moderator:
Caroline Lacey, Executive Search, Global Head of Esports and Video Games, CAA
Speakers:
Eric Johnson - CEO - EGF
Victoria Horsley - President - Unified Collegiate Esports Association
Neil Duffy - CCO - Collegiate StarLeague
Chris Buckner - CEO - Mainline.GG
19:15 - 20:00
Esports and Music - the sound of success?Details:
Music has been an integral part of gaming since its inception. We all remember the great soundtracks of games like FIFA, GTA Vice City, and SSX Tricky. But the growth of esports has led to new collaborations between gaming and sports beyond tracks playing in cutscenes or blaring out at esports arenas.
From news headlines of team investments by top artists such as Drake, Offset, and Steve Aoki to record-breaking in-game concerts within Fortnite by Travis Scott, COVID-19 has shined an even brighter spotlight on the opportunities for these entertainment pillars to work together, as highlighted by the rush of artists to stream and participate in charity gaming tournaments. Why do the esports and music industries work so well together? What does a successful partnership look like? What benefits are there to the recording artist and the esports organizations? Is your organization ready to partner with the record industry, and, if so, how do you begin?
Join this panel of record label executives, FaZe Clan’s head of esports, hip-hop artists, and legal minds for a behind-the-scenes discussion that will shed some light on these questions.
Speakers:
Ryan Ruden - SVP, Experiential Marketing and Business Development - Columbia Records
Darren Traub - Partner - DWT
Erik Anderson - Head of Esports - Faze Clan
SPEAKERS
Moritz Maurer
CEO & Founder
GRID esports
Moritz Maurer
CEO & Founder
GRID esports
Moritz Maurer, has more than 8 years of experience pioneering at the intersection of esports, data & betting. After creating the first UK- licenced esports bookmaker – GGwins – and later launching the world first in-play esports betting solution in 2015, Moritz focused on unlocking the potential of official data assets for some of the biggest rights holders in esports.
This vision culminated in the creation GRID, an innovative data & technology platform in esports which is leading the way in data solutions for teams, leagues and brands in esports.
ROD BRESLAU
#1 Esports Consultant and Insider
Self-proclaimed
ROD BRESLAU
#1 Esports Consultant and Insider
Self-proclaimed
Rod "Slasher" Breslau is an American veteran of competitive gaming and esports as a broadcaster, analyst and reporter. He is a well known community figure in all things Fighting games, Starcraft, Quake, Overwatch and many more. Surrounded for good or bad with controversy, Slasher is one of the most outspoken esports influencers reporting on the industry daily.
Patrick Mahoney
CEO
We Are Nations Inc
Patrick Mahoney
CEO
We Are Nations Inc
Patrick Mahoney is the CEO and co-founder of the We Are Nations Group, a leader in esports merchandise design, sales and distribution worldwide. We Are Nations clients include Riot Games/LCS, Optic Gaming, G2 Esports, Team Liquid, Cloud 9, Faceit/ECS, Starladder, NASR and many other leading global esports brands. We Are Nations was founded by Patrick and Chris Cornell in 2016, and is a sister company to Manhead Merchandising, a recognizable name in the music and entertainment merchandise space, with clients that include Panic At The Disco, Fall Out Boy and Weezer. In his spare time, Patrick is a competitive master’s cyclist on the road and in cyclocross events. He is married with one teenage son and lives in the greater Nashville area in Tennessee, USA.
Tricia Sugita
CEO
FlyQuest
Tricia Sugita
CEO
FlyQuest
Tricia Sugita is the CEO of FlyQuest. She started her career in esports competing in and streaming StarCraft II, then interviewing and hosting major esports events as an interviewer and host for major events, then became the Global Director of Esports at Azubu.tv, where she increased web traffic to over 12 million unique monthly visitors. She then joined Immortals and LA Valiant as the Head of Partnerships, securing major partnerships from AEG Worldwide and Omen by HP.
At FlyQuest, she’s using her decade of industry experience to build out a new kind of esports organization that reflects her core values of kindness, grace, and strength.
David Gowans
Head of Creative Technologies, Games & Esports
Barclays
David Gowans
Head of Creative Technologies, Games & Esports
Barclays
As Head of Creative Technologies, Games & Esports for Barclays Ventures, David is responsible for leading activity in Barclays, in its work in supporting the Games Industry and activity in Esports.
Christie St. Martin
CEO
Gamers.vote
Christie St. Martin
CEO
Gamers.vote
Chief Executive Officer of Gamers.Vote, a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that encourages and supports the act of participation, Gamers.Vote leads a coalition of various organizations as a unifying brand to make voting a priority. We hope gamers will register and vote so that their voices may be heard.
No issues No party affiliations No political agendas. We send people directly to the Vote.gov.
Any company, streamer, or celebrity will decide what promotions fit them and their audience best. We ideate, strategize, and help our partners with any part of their initiative as they desire our involvement.
Erik Anderson
Head of Esports
FaZe Clan
Erik Anderson
Head of Esports
FaZe Clan
Erik Anderson is Head of Esports for FaZe Clan, one of the largest gaming and esports organizations in the world. Over the past three years he has led all esports strategy and operations for the brand. Prior to esports he worked in the music industry as a part of the management team for US based artist Kid Rock. Erik currently lives in Los Angeles California, is a graduate of Princeton University, and sits on the executive board for the World Esports Association.
Julian Tan
Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports
Formula 1
Julian Tan
Head of Digital Business Initiatives & Esports
Formula 1
Dr. Julian Tan, from Malaysia joined Formula 1® in 2017. He is responsible for leading Formula 1's digital strategy, transformation & growth including F1's global esports business, redefining how fans engage with the sport through digital and esports. Prior to this, Julian was a Senior Consultant at global management consulting firm, The Boston Consulting Group. Here he helped some of the world's largest and most important organizations spearhead their commercial strategies and digital transformations. Julian holds first class bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Oxford and a PhD in the micromechanics of carbon fibre laminates from the University of Cambridge.
Adam Savinson
Head of Esports
Betway Group
Adam Savinson
Head of Esports
Betway Group
Adam Savinson has been Head of Esports at Betway group, since May 2015. Adam’s passion for Esports and wealth of experience in Digital Marketing has helped drive Betway’s fast paced growth within the Esports Betting industry.
Anna Baumann
Managing Director and General Counsel
Rogue Sports Europe GmbH
Anna Baumann
Managing Director and General Counsel
Rogue Sports Europe GmbH
Having focused as an attorney on professionalizing esports establishing best practices with regards to player welfare, integrity issues and grassroots efforts, Anna has now moved to building Rogue’s presence as Managing Director and General Counsel of the European subsidiary running the LEC and Polish Regional League slot. She is set to implement the unique vision of Rogue’s ownership group to build a global brand connecting music icons, esports superstars and community outreach, offering one of the best environments to players for realizing their full potential, building sustainable careers and evolving their individual brands. Besides offering fans a fresh take on esports entertainment, Anna is a member of the Disciplinary Panel of the Esports Integrity Coalition (“ESIC”) and focuses on integrity matters for the German Esports Association (“ESBD”).
Ryan Ruden
SVP, Experiential Marketing and Business Development
Columbia Records
Ryan Ruden
SVP, Experiential Marketing and Business Development
Columbia Records
Ryan Ruden is SVP, Experiential Marketing and business development for Columbia Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Ryan pursues strategic marketing and business partnerships, with a focus on driving revenue and innovation in artist development. With an interest in identifying emerging tech trends and burgeoning online communities he’s found a niche incubating music partnerships for Columbia in the categories of gaming, kids entertainment, and touring.
Focused on trend forecasting he also incubated a women’s gaming label, “Lost Rings” focused on releasing music by and for the gaming community. In 2019 he was tapped by Twitchcon to book all talent for the popular conference.
In addition he handle all tour marketing for frontline artists. Ryan has produced events for artists such as Beyonce and AC/DC and started the ticket bundle initiative within the label which led to multiple #1 albums for artists like The Chainsmokers and Harry Styles. He was included on Billboard’s 40 Under 40 Power Players List. He is also a frequent speaker on the intersection of music and ESports, tour marketing, and innovation.
Prior to Columbia, he worked at Interscope Records and before his major label experience, Ryan worked at Shady Records/Goliath Artists Management with Eminem.
Taylor Heitzig-Rhodes
Director of Talent Management
Evil Geniuses
Taylor Heitzig-Rhodes
Director of Talent Management
Evil Geniuses
Taylor has been involved in gaming and esports since 2016. She currently works as agent at Evolved Talent Agency, representing top professional players and streamers. She brings intricate knowledge of esports ecosystems of all the most popular games, such as League of Legends, Fortnite, VALORANT, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Rocket League, Call of Duty, and DOTA. She is working on mastering Chinese, TFT, and gardening.
James Dean
CEO
ESL Gaming UK Ltd
James Dean
CEO
ESL Gaming UK Ltd
James Dean is the founder and CEO of the ESL UK subsidiary, building the ESL brand and community on a regional level. James began his career in IT writing for UK’s largest computer magazine while studying for a Degree in Computer Science at Birmingham University. After graduating James managed the PC division of a well-known computer retailer in the UK and in 2004 launched a gaming brand of PCs increasing average margins from 6% to 20%.
In 2006, James founded a sales, marketing and PR company specialising in services for the IT and gaming industry, representing brands without existing operations in the UK. Within 3 years, the agency was generating over £5m annual revenues for various niche gaming brands including SteelSeries, the well-known esports peripheral brand.
This shaped the foundation of the ESL UK franchise after introduction to ESL Germany in 2012 which was eventually purchased by ESL’s global group in 2016. ESL is the world’s largest esports company with 15 offices spanning the globe. The UK office has maintained 50%+ year-on-year growth since its foundation. It operates the UK’s longest running national esports tournament, the ESL Premiership currently spanning 4 gaming titles. To this date, ESL still holds records for the largest ever online audience for a UK esports tournament.
Carlos Alimurung
CEO
ONE Esports
Carlos Alimurung
CEO
ONE Esports
Carlos is the CEO of ONE Esports, the esports arm of ONE Championship, Asia’s largest global sports media property. He is responsible for the overall vision and execution of ONE Esports' strategy and has P&L ownership of the business. Carlos joined ONE Esports as the former Chief Business Officer of Battlefy, the world’s largest open esports competition platform.
Prior to Battlefy, Carlos worked at Univision, where as SVP of Corporate Business Development, he was responsible for corporate venture investments. Carlos also previously served as the Head of Strategy for LG Electronics’ North America consumer electronics business.
Carlos began his career as a management consultant at Marakon Associates, where he advised clients in the US, UK, Brazil, and Singapore. He also served in the AmeriCorps*NCCC program, helping communities in the US and Puerto Rico across a wide spectrum of needs.
He was awarded a McKinsey & Company Fellowship during his MBA at MIT Sloan, and he graduated Cum Laude from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.
Akshat Rathee
Co-Founder & Managing Director
NODWIN Gaming
Akshat Rathee
Co-Founder & Managing Director
NODWIN Gaming
Akshat is an experienced Serial entrepreneur with a demonstrated history of working in the startup space. His tradtional experience has been in the management consulting industry with Ernst & Young. He is currently invested into esports and Gaming.
Akshat has a proven track record of multiple exits, the latest being the partial exit of NODWIN Gaming to Nazara Games and ESL.
Akshat founded NODWIN Gaming in 2016 and has grown it to be the largest esports firm in South Asia and among the top 5 in the world.
NODWIN Gaming works actively in creating large scale esports IPs that it monetises through esports and media rights.
Akshat has expanded NODWIN Gaming to the Middle East and South Africa from the South Asian base.
Akshat is skilled in Management, Business Development, Training. His areas of expertise are Gaming, Telecommunications and Venture Capital.
Akshat has strong business development and marketing skills and is a seasoned industry professional with a focus on leadership from Aspen Global Leadership Initiative.
Kirsty Endfield
Founder & Director
Swipe Right PR
Kirsty Endfield
Founder & Director
Swipe Right PR
Kirsty is the Founder & Director of Swipe Right, the leading esports and video game communications agency. Kirsty, has a wealth of experience in marketing and outreach strategies in video games with over ten years experience and was one of PCR's Top 30 Women in Mobile and MCV's 30 Under 30. She set up Swipe Right six years ago after seeing a gap in the market for esports communications. Swipe Right was the first agency to offer dedicated esports communications services alongside video games and the team now manages some of the biggest brands in the industry including Red Bull, FACEIT and Team Vitality supporting esports teams, platforms and 10,000 attendee tournaments.
Anders Blume
Creative Director
Skybox
Anders Blume
Creative Director
Skybox
Anders has been working as a professional in esports broadcasting since 2013, with companies like: ESL, Dreamhack, MLG, Turner Broadcasting, Blast and many more. Co-founded skybox.gg providing match spectating and analysis solutions for tournaments, broadcasters and players. Passion for esports, tech, gaming and casting.
Georg Fischer
Marketing Manager KitKat - Europe, Middle East, North Africa
Nestlé
Georg Fischer
Marketing Manager KitKat - Europe, Middle East, North Africa
Nestlé
"Business Athlete" with competitive spirit but collaborative approach in my job where I like to challenge the status-quo.
~10 years experience in FMCG across major geographies and brands; mainly in Marketing & Sales but also several years in in-house consulting and innovation management.
Passionate about gaming & esports as a way to have a break, ideally with KitKat!
David Martin
Director
Esports Global
David Martin
Director
Esports Global
David is a professional services and corporate finance adviser with over 20 years’ experience acquired in government and private enterprise. David has a deep knowledge of the esports sector both in investments and as a co-owner of the London Royal Ravens Call of Duty franchise.
Jakob Kristensen
Founder & CCO
Astralis Group
Jakob Kristensen
Founder & CCO
Astralis Group
Esport veretan with over 15 years of experience in the industry. Original founder of Astralis and RFRSH Entertainment (BLAST Pro Series). Primarily focused on the commercial side of the industry having structured and closed deals with such brands as Audi, Logitech, HP, Microsoft, Unibet and Jack & Jones.
View all Speakers
WHO WILL ATTEND
700+
ATTENDEES
80+
SPEAKERS
25+
COUNTRIES
REPRESENTED
15+
MEDIA
OUTLETS
40+
ESPORTS & SPORTS
TEAM REPRESENTATIVES
30+
BRANDS
20+
INVESTMENT
GROUPS
Who attends
- Esports & Sports Organisations
- Suppliers & Service Providers
- Brands
- Investment Groups
- Other
Job Titles
- CEO's, Chairman & Founds
- C-Level Executives
- Directors
- Managers
- Other
SPONSORS & PARTNERS
Gold Sponsor
GRID is a technology platform that serves as a comprehensive data partner for game publishers, tournaments, sponsors and teams around the world. Since the launch in 2018 GRID has worked together with their partners and clients to unlock the vast revenue potential of data assets.
GRID's team of 60+ dedicated staff, spread across 3 main offices share a passion for esports and are committed to revolutionizing esports data.
Esports data is on the GRID.
Silver Sponsor
GamingMalta is an independent non-profit foundation set up by the Government of Malta and the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). Tasked with the remit of promoting Malta as a Centre of excellence in the remote gaming sector globally, it is also responsible for liaising with the local relevant authorities to improve Malta’s attractiveness as a jurisdiction and enhance the ecosystem surrounding the gaming industry.
Ross Video – High Impact, High Efficiency Production Solutions
Ross powers video productions for billions of global viewers daily with the industry’s widest range of high impact, high efficiency production solutions. Ross makes it easy to create compelling news, weather and sports broadcasts, engaging material for sports stadium screens, entertainment shows and rock concerts, educational institutions, legislative assemblies, corporate applications and inspiring content for houses of worship.
Ross solutions have impressed the audiences and marketing partners of NBC Sunday Night Football, Eurosport, BBC World, Google YouTube Space London and China’s esports powerhouse VSPN. Ross delivers an unrivalled range of products and services comprising virtual studios, real-time motion graphics, cameras, robotic camera systems, production switchers, video servers, infrastructure and routers, social media management, newsroom systems and mobile live events.
Deliver the excitement and experience of the game to your viewers with a world class production. Captivate fans with game characters and environments brought to life through augmented reality and virtual sets. Ross brings the best of live sports and broadcast production technology to the task of putting on an amazing esports even
We Are Nations is a specialist esports consumer products and retail company with locations based in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia with additional distribution partners around the world.
The company provides merchandise design, sales, manufacturing and distribution services for esports teams, leagues and other endemic and non-endemic brands operating in the esports industry.
Sponsors
We Are Nations is a specialist esports consumer products and retail company with locations based in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia with additional distribution partners around the world.
The company provides merchandise design, sales, manufacturing and distribution services for esports teams, leagues and other endemic and non-endemic brands operating in the esports industry.
WePlay! Esports is an esportainment company that combines the best practices of the esports and entertainment fields.
Since 2012, WePlay! Esports brand is well-known for the high-quality organization and broadcast the online esports tournaments and LAN finals. Besides, to the creation and distribution of the esports content to our media,
WePlay! Esports, the company's expertise lies in competitive gaming services, brand integration into esports, and media rights sales.
By harnessing what the public is most passionate about — esports and entertainment — the company embraces the opportunities and challenges in esports that empower businesses. They thereby evolve with this valuable global audience in our modern media environment.
The company is global proactively and opens offices with esports arena in different parts of the world including in Los Angeles, USA and Cyprus.
The WePlay! Esports mission is to develop esports as an esportainment industry.
Hotdrop provides end-to-end solutions for tournament organisers, teams, publishers and brands. Hotdrop offers in-house creative design, marketing and public relations services, video production and social media support, alongside other commercial services.
Newly launched turnkey esports solutions agency was founded by Rob Black, the former Chief Operating Officer of ESL UK. Prior to the public launch of Promod Esports, the agency worked on delivering remote broadcast engagements for the likes of UEFA’s eEURO 2020, the ESL Premiership, and National Student Esports (NSE).
The agency’s consultancy offering includes helping IP owners – both native and new to esports – connect with their customers and potential audience.
We Are Nations is a specialist esports consumer products and retail company with locations based in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia with additional distribution partners around the world.
The company provides merchandise design, sales, manufacturing and distribution services for esports teams, leagues and other endemic and non-endemic brands operating in the esports industry.
Media and Strategic Partners
Swipe Right is a leading global esports and gaming communications agency who elevate brands and help build communities. We’re a London-based agency with an international network of media, influencers and partners and we deliver strategic and creative campaigns that help our clients form their brand identity and deliver their message to the right audiences.
With years of experience, we have managed communications for some of the biggest tournaments, platforms and games in the world, alongside the most prolific teams and talent in the industry. Ensuring we are always pushing the latest trends in the sector, we keep our clients ahead of the game.
Latam Media Group is a media group specialized in the Latin American Gaming industry. Its expertise in public relationships let them multiply their business audience, building a selected and exclusive network that acts as a guide to keep evolving in the right direction.
LMG now organizes events, VIP dinners, conferences and summits for the Latin American gaming industry.
It launched in 2016, to bring a new concept in communication, networking and content creation.
Sports Betting Community (SBC) is dedicated to raising the profile and coverage of gambling operators, software suppliers and industry start-ups in the complex and saturated online gaming market.
SBC offers its clients and partners a wide range of services including content provision, igaming consulting, gaming event management, public relations, communications and branding.
Sports Betting Community now has over 5,000 industry members worldwide and has become the largest gaming network for professionals within the sector. The SBC team have hosted igaming networking events in Europe and Asia, and have helped with the organisation and management of major gaming trade conferences.
AFK Gaming Private Limited is an Asian esports (competitive video gaming) media and content company. We provide quality and consistent coverage about teams, players, tournaments and competitive video games in the English language, primarily focused on the Asian region. We are among the first movers in the mobile esports written content space, have a wide network in the industry and are backed by some of the market leaders in the Indian esports ecosystem.
ESA’s mission is to inspire, unite and grow the sponsorship industry for the benefit of its members. ESA does this through education, guidance, representation, the recognition of excellence and the sharing of best practice and performance.
THE ESPORTS JOURNAL is a publication focused on an in-depth discussion and analysis of the global esports industry. It’ll be distributed at the best B2B events attended by the main stakeholders and executives from in and around the industry; and will showcase some of the main events, companies and trends. THE ESPORTS JOURNAL will be available in print and digital formats.
'High Viz Media (Group) Ltd are a video production and broadcast company, supporting live events, television broadcast and esports productions across Europe.
Bringing cross-industry knowledge to the esports industry, we create agile and unique productions. Our in-house broadcast camera equipment and strong relationships with our supply chain allow us to deliver original and cutting edge camera systems to every event.
During Covid-19 HVMG has been working with broadcasters and events companies to facilitate online and remote production. We have designed our Trojan Camera Systems to enable fully remote, HD, PTZ cameras to be installed at talents’ homes whilst maintaining social distancing and recognizing in some cases the minimal infrastructure available. Moreover, these are skills and techniques that we as an industry have honed and used within esports for many years prior.
We are here to support our esports colleagues and friends. We are proud to be part of Esports Insider and know that of all industries, esports is well placed and lean enough to recover. In some cases, it’s the processes long established within esports that broadcasters are now starting to accept as part of our “new normal”.
https://www.highvizmediagroup.tv/#HIGHLIGHTS & VIDEOS
TESTIMONIALS
