Each month, ESI compiles the period’s most significant esports movers and shakers. June’s round-up features personnel changes from the likes of Cloud9, Riot Games, G2 Esports, NYXL, MAD Lions and EXCEL ESPORTS, among others.
Here are the key esports movers and shakers from June 2022. To read more about a story below, click the link in the corresponding title.
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Earlier this month, Esports Insider exclusively broke that streaming production and monetisation platform StreamElements was restructuring its workforce, with 20% of its staff reportedly impacted, sources informed Esports Insider.
Some staff are being laid off, while others are moving into new roles within the company, a reshuffle the company has attributed to market conditions.
North American esports organisation FlyQuest has announced the appointment of Michael Choi as the company’s new CEO.
FlyQuest also revealed that its current CEO Tricia Sugita will depart the organisation. Choi held the position of Senior Project Manager and Director of Operations for FlyQuest, and was the company’s COO prior to being appointed CEO.
Speaking of Tricia Sugita, the former FlyQuest CEO was announced by Cloud9 as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), just days after leaving the organisation.
The announcement was made through a video posted on Cloud9’s Twitter account, in which the organisation’s Founder and CEO Jack Etienne introduces the new hire. Sugita will be based in Cloud9’s headquarters in Santa Monica, California, reporting directly to Etienne.
Game publisher Riot Games has promoted Michael Sherman to Global Head of Esports for TeamFight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and Project L (the developer’s upcoming fighting game).
Sherman has been with Riot Games since 2014. Beginning his career with League of Legends’ collegiate program, he rose to Program Lead before being moved to the LCS in 2020, where he has managed the league’s marketing and communications.
European esports organisation G2 Esports has announced the appointment of Irina Shames as its new Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and Philippe Adam as Financial Director.
Additionally, former General Manager Alban Dechelotte has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO). As Chief Revenue Officer, Shames will be responsible for all aspects of global commercial growth at G2 Esports, with a heavy focus on the organisation’s expansion in North America.
New York-based esports organisation NYXL has named Kai Mathey as its first Chief Revenue Officer (CRO).
In her new role, Mathey will be responsible for driving revenue and leading commercial alignment across all NYXL divisions, including creative and consumer products. Mathey joined NYXL in 2018 as its Head of Partnerships, where she secured deals with the likes of United Airlines and esports performance firm Adamas Esports.
British esports organisation EXCEL ESPORTS has announced the appointment of ex-FUSE Director Shahin Rasti as the company’s new Head of Partnerships.
Rasti will focus on bringing on new commercial partners to EXCEL, as well as supporting its existing partners and growing the partnership team within the company. Moreover, he will work closely with another one of EXCEL’s recent hires, Partnerships Executive Sara Leghari.
OverActive Media, the parent company of MAD Lions, Toronto Ultra and Toronto Defiant, has announced leadership changes for its Spain-based esport organisation.
The changes see Ricardo Gómez-Acebo Botín be appointed as the new Head of EU Business. Moreover, OverActive Media’s Vice-President of Strategy Jorge Schnura has resigned from his position and will continue in an advisory role within the company.
Gaming and esports company Wisdom Gaming has appointed former Minnesota Vikings EVP Steve LaCroix as its President.
The appointment comes as a result of a partnership expansion between Wisdom Gaming and LaCroix Sports and Entertainment. As President of the company, LaCroix will report to Wisdom Gaming CEO Mike Zweigbaum and oversee various areas of the business including revenue generation, brand expansion and community engagement.
Dubai-based esports organisation Galaxy Racer has appointed former Streamline Media Group Head Of Finance Syed Ibn-E-Ali as its new Chief Financial Officer for Southeast Asia.
Ali will be part of the organisation’s expansion project across Southeast Asia (SEA), focusing on the structuring of Galaxy Racer’s offices in the region, plus policy implementation and corporate governance.
Esports and gaming education platform LeagueSpot has announced the hires of James O’Hagan as VP of Education Innovation and Samantha Anton as Senior Publishing Specialist.
The pair join the company as it looks to strengthen its position in the increasingly competitive North American scholastic esports space. O’Hagan is a prominent scholastic esports advocate in the US and the founder of scholastic esports podcast The Academy of Esports.
