ESL has announced a restructuring of their operations in the Asia-Pacific Japan (APJ) region. Nick Vanzetti and JB Hewitt have been appointed as Managing Directors for the region, with interim CEO Sebastian Radu stepping down.
Previously Managing Directors of ESL Australia, Vanzetti will head to the Singapore office in January 2019, overseeing their operations in Asia as Senior Vice President. Vanzetti said this in a statement: “Esports in the APJ region is seeing enormous growth, and by aligning our regional offices under this new structure we are positioning ESL to take full advantage of the opportunities that the market offers. I’ll be looking to maintain the momentum that Sebastian Radu has created during his appointment, and I’m looking forward to continuing to develop ESL’s capabilities within APJ.”
JB Hewitt will remain in the existing Australian offices and oversee the continued production of Australian events and broadcasts, such ESL AU&NZ Championship Season 2 for CSGO and DOTA 2 starting later this month.
ESL states that this restructuring ‘aligns with their ongoing commitment to expand further into South East Asia (SEA) and continue to showcase local talent in every corner of the world’. A core part of their Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) series of tournaments has been to consistently provide a local slot for any grassroots movement within the region.
ESL has slowly been increasing their presence within the APJ region, with ESL One Genting in the last two years, offering a $400,000 (£305,000) and offering up 400 Dota Pro Circuit points. They have also hosted IEM Sydney for CSGO for the past two years bringing both top-tier teams to a region as well as giving opportunities to teams that don’t have the chance to make it to other tournaments in Europe or North America.
Esports Insider says: This restructuring does not mean much to the immediate future for South East Asian esports or the general APJ region, however with ESL consistently hosting events in Malaysia and Sydney, Australia, this move cements a commitment to expanding their influence within the region. We expect to see more tournaments around the SEA and Japan region next year.