THE NEW GLOBAL SPORT CONFERENCE

BUILDING THE FUTURE
OF GAMING, ESPORTS
AND SPORTS

23 – 24 AUGUST 2025

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL RIYADH SAUDI ARABIA

Keynote speaker on stage at NGSC 2025 in Riyadh with a full audience, spotlighting the future of gaming, esports, and sports

23 – 24 AUGUST 2025

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL RIYADH SAUDI ARABIA

The

Game

STUDIO STAGE

WATCH LIVE: NGSC UNLOCKED

About The Conference

NGSC
The Next Game – Building the future of gaming, esports and sports

The New Global Sport Conference (NGSC 2025) is the premier global platform for industry leaders at the intersection of gaming, esports and sport. It brings together CEOs, founders and investors to drive groundbreaking initiatives shaping the future of these dynamic industries.

A flagship event of the Esports World Cup Foundation, NGSC is held annually in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, during the closing weekend of the Esports World Cup, the world’s largest esports and gaming event.

NGSC 2025 official theme, “The Next Game – Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports,” reflects the accelerating convergence of competitive gaming and global sports.

Panel discussion at NGSC with global sports and esports leaders on stage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with large audience in attendance

Transforming the future of competitive play

The curated program will feature over 1,500 industry leaders, including HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, HRH Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser Al Saud, and representatives from the LA28 Olympic Games, Sony, SEGA, and more. Through keynotes, panels, strategic roundtables and private forums, attendees will define the next stage of industry growth and innovation.

Attendees of NGSC, including global leaders and local professionals, sharing a selfie moment during the esports and sports networking session in Riyadh.

Bringing together the world’s most influential voices.

Where industries converge to spark dialogue and challenge convention.

The leading platform where gaming, esports and sport’s future takes shape.

Speakers

2025

NGSC speakers

Unlock new perspectives and be inspired by trailblazers, innovators and disruptors. From industry leaders to creative visionaries, these are the voices driving the global conversation.

HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal

Minister of Sports

HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud

Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation

HRH Prince Fahad bin Mansour bin Nasser Al Saud

President of the Saudi G20 Startup20, President of the Saudi G20YEA, Chairman of Entrepreneurship Vision

H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb

Minister of Tourism

H.E. Eng. Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih

Minister of Investment

H.E. Abdullah Alswaha

Minister of Communications and Information Technology

Ralf Reichert

Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Alex Morgan

Two-time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist

Hideo Kojima

Founder Of KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS

Nicolas Winding Refn

Director, Writer and Producer

Steven Bartlett

The Diary of a CEO Podcast host, Founder of Flight Story & Thirdweb

Matthew Ball

Pioneering Tech Authority, Investor, Producer & Global Best-Selling Author

Yves Guillemot

Chief Executive Officer, Ubisoft

Peter Moore

Owner, Santa Barbara Sky FC, EX-Chief Executive Officer, Liverpool FC

Casey Wasserman

Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Wasserman | Chairperson & President, LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games

Magnus Carlsen

Chess Grandmaster, EWC Ambassador

Mike McCabe

Chief Operating Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Faisal Mohammed Bin Homran

Chief Product Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Mohammed Alnimer

Chief Commercial Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Brian Ward

Chief Executive Officer, Savvy Games Group

Shuji Utsumi

President & Chief Operating Officer, SEGA

Toshimoto Mitomo

Chief Strategy Officer, Sony

Dan Clancy

Chief Executive Officer, Twitch

Bruce Stein

Co-Founder of aXiomatic Gaming & Sr. Strategy Advisor, Juno Capital Partners

Steve Boom

Vice President, Audio, Twitch & Games at Amazon

Danny Tang

Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hero Esports

Fabian Scheuermann

Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Jens Hilgers

General Partner & Co-Founder, BITKRAFT Ventures

Katsuhiro Harada

Game Director & Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment

Michael Murray

Producer – Bandai Namco Entertainment

Kartik Prabhakara

Co-founder and Partner, Aream & Co

Akshat Rathee

Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming

Taewon Yun

Senior Vice President, Head of Game Strategy ,NCSOFT

Victor Goossens

Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer, Team Liquid

Marat Karpeko

General Partner NVO & Co-Founder of Wargaming

Maria Redin

President & Chief Executive Officer, Modern Times Group

Pete Radovich Jr

Vice President of Production & Senior Creative Director, CBS Sports

Robbie Douek

Chief Executive Officer, BLAST

Abdulaziz AlOmran

Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Impact46

Enrico D’Angelo

Vice President of Product for Economy at Roblox

Toby Evan-Jones

Executive Director and Head of Gaming at NEOM

Jan Alessie

Co-Founder & Managing Director, World Football Summit

Mike Milanov

Executive Head of Gaming & Esports, Qiddiya

Lisa Cosmas Hanson

President & Chief Executive Officer, Niko Partners

Eric Shanks

Chief Executive Officer and Executive Producer of FOX Sports

Danny Townsend

Chief Executive Officer, SURJ Sports Investment

Dave Mace

Global Leader, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports

Nina Walsh

Global Leader, Industry BD, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports

Viranda Tantula

Co-founder and Executive Creative Director, Potion Projects

Francois-Xavier Deniele

Vice President E-sport & Competitive Gaming, Ubisoft

Pavel Kasperovich

Partner, Boston Consulting Group

Crystal Huh

Senior Director of Brand & Ventures at HYBE America.

Nicolle Merhy

Chief Executive Officer Black Dragons

Ulrich Schulze

SVP Game Ecosystems, ESL FACEIT Group

Abdullah Altamami

Founder, Chief Executive Officer at Merak Capital

Charity Joy

Chief Executive Officer, Mirai BIO

Alexander Schudey

Managing Director, Partner, Boston Consulting Group

Héctor Rafael Fernández

Head of Global Third-Party Business Development & Strategic Initiatives, Sony Interactive Entertainment, LLC

Christopher Cruz

Senior Gaming Editor at Rolling Stone

Sam Turkbas

Sr. Director, Esports Product, EA

SUJITH SUKUMARAN

Senior Program Manager, PlayStation Hero Projects - India and MENA, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Thiago Alcantara

Professional Footballer

Abdulaziz Baeshen

Chief Executive Officer and Secretary General, Saudi Olympic & Paralympic Committee

Paul Cairns

Chief Business Officer, Electronic Arts

François Desir

Head of Sponsorship at the Esports World Cup

Clare McDonald

Consultant Creative Director

Rawan AlButairi

Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF)

Helena Wurf

Chief of Staff at SURJ Sports Investment

Monica Dinsmore

Head of Esports, Electronic Arts

Mars Hou

Vice President of Tencent Games, General Manager of Tencent Esports

Niccolò Maisto

Chief Executive Officer, ESL FACEIT Group

Volker Düring

Vice President/General Manager Lenovo PC Gaming, Lenovo IDG

Sean Hyunil Sohn

Vice- President, Indian Digital Gaming Society

Debbie Scott

Vice President of Commercial, Esports and Sport at Wasserman

Trafford Wilson

Director of Multisport, Al Qadsiah Saudi Club

Jumana Haj Ahmad

Deputy Representative, UNICEF Gulf Area Office

Polly Handford

General Counsel, Saudi Arabian Football Federation

More to come...

MCs & Moderators

Kate Scott

Sports Broadcaster (MC)

Pedro Pinto

Founder and CEO of Empower Sports (MC)

Lisa Cosmas Hanson

President & CEO, Niko Partners (Moderator)

Kartik Prabhakara

Co-founder and Partner, Aream & Co (Moderator)

Pete Radovich

VP of Production & Senior Creative Director, CBS Sports (Moderator)

Susannah Streeter

Global Financial Commentator and International Broadcaster (Moderator)

Lama Alhamawi

Senior Journalist & Host of Discussions (MC)

Christopher Cruz

Senior Gaming Editor at Rolling Stone (Moderator)

Agenda

Time

Hero Stage

08:00 - 09:30

Doors Open and Registration

09:30 - 10:00

Opening Remarks

THE NEXT GAME

Building the Future of Gaming, Esports, and Sports

Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

10:00 - 10:50

Panel Session

THE KINGDOM’S NEXT ERA OF PLAY

How Saudi Arabia is Writing the Future of Gaming and Esports

Kate Scott, Sports Broadcaster
HRH Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports
HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud, Chairman, Saudi Esports Federation
H.E. Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism
H.E. Eng. Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Investment
H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communications and Information Technology

10:50 - 11:20

Fireside Chat

GAMING THROUGH TIME

Ubisoft’s Legacy and Future

Kate Scott, Sports Broadcaster
Yves Guillemot, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Ubisoft

11:20 - 12:30

Keynote and Panel Session

THE NEXT GAME STARTS HERE

Envisioning 2050: Charting the Future of Gaming and Sports

Matthew Ball,Chief Executive Officer,Epyllion
Jens Hilgers, General Partner & Co-Founder, Bitkraft Ventures
Jumana Haj Ahmad, Deputy Representative, UNICEF Gulf Area Office

12:30 - 13:30

Networking Lunch

13:30 - 13:40

Announcement

EWCF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

13:40 - 14:00

Panel Session

THE ESPORTS FORMULA

Building Entertainment Products for a New Generation of Fans

Dr. Alexander Schudey, Managing Director and Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Rawan Albutairi, Chief Executive Officer, Saudi Esports Federation
Faisal Mohammed Bin Homran, Chief Product Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Mohammed Alnimer, Chief Commercial Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Abdulaziz Bin Ahmed Baeshen, Secretary General, The Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee

14:00 - 14:30

Panel Session

POWERING THE ECOSYSTEM

How Publishers Shape the Foundations of The Next Big Game

Kate Scott, Sports Broadcaster
Monica Dinsmore, Head of Esports, Electronic Arts
Minho Yi, Vice President Head of Global Esports, Krafton
Fabian Scheuermann, Chief Games Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Francois-Xavier Deniele, Vice President Esports & Competitive Gaming, Ubisoft
Mars Hou, Vice President of Tencent Games, General Manager of Tencent Esports, Tencent

14:30 - 15:15

Panel Session

NATIONS LEVEL UP

Harnessing National Pride to Shape the Future of Global Competition

Pete Radovich, Vice President of Production & Senior Creative Director, CBS Sports
Casey Wasserman, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Wasserman, Chairperson & President, LA28 Olympic & Paralympic Games
Alex Morgan, Two-Time FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion & Olympic Gold Medalist
Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

15:15 - 15:45

NETWORKING BREAK

15:45 - 16:30

Panel Session

GOING GLOBAL, WINNING MOBILE POWERED BY STC

Strategies for Scaling Games in a Rapidly Evolving Global Market

Pedro Pinto, Journalist
Pavel Kasperovich, Partner, Boston Consulting Group
Akshat Rathee, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Nodwin Gaming
Niccolo Maisto, Chief Executive Officer, ESL FACEIT GROUP
Taewon Yun, Senior Vice President and Head of Game Strategy, NCSOFT
Sean Hyunil Sohn, Chief Executive Officer, Krafton India, and Vice-President, Indian Digital Gaming Society

16:30 - 17:15

Panel Session

IP STRATEGIES UNLOCKED

Positioning Intellectual Property as a Strategic Advantage in the Next Game

Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Niko Partners
Dan Clancy, Chief Executive Officer, Twitch
Shuji Utsumi, President and Chief Operating Officer, Sega
Enrico D’angelo, Vice President of Product Economy, Roblox
Eric Shanks, Chief Executive Officer & Executive Producer, Fox Sports

17:15 - 18:00

End of Conference Day 1

Time

Foundry

8:00 - 10:30

Doors Open and Registration

10:30 - 11:00

First Cohort Announcement

Playstation MENA Hero Project

Hector Fernandez, Sony
Sujith Sukumaran, Sony

11:00 - 12:30

Keynote and Panel Session

THE NEXT DEAL

Navigating Capital, Growth, and Strategy in Saudi Arabia and Beyond

HRH Prince Fahad Bin Mansour Bin Nasser Al Saud, President, Saudi G20 Startup 20, President, Saudi G20 Yea, Chairman, Entrepreneurship Vision
Susannah Streeter, Global Financial Commentator & International Broadcaster
Marat Karpeko, Partner, NVO Capital & Co-Founder, Wargaming
Brian Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Savvy Games Group
Charity Joy, Chief Executive Officer, Mirai
Danny Townsend, Chief Executive Officer, Surj Sports Investment
Bruce Stein, Senior Strategic Advisor

12:30 - 13:30

MoUs Signing

13:30 - 14:30

Blocked for the Main Stage

15:15 - 15:30

Networking Lunch

15:30 - 17:00

Keynote and Panel Session

THE NEXT DEAL

Investing in Gaming and Sports

HRH Prince Fahad Bin Mansour Bin Nasser Al Saud, President Saudi G20 Startup 20, President Saudi G20 Yea, Chairman Entrepreneurship Vision
Susannah Streeter, Global Financial Commentator & International Broadcaster
H.E. Abdullah Alswaha, Minister of Communication, Information & Technology, Saudi Arabia
Toby Evan Jones, Executive Director of Gaming, Neom
Abdullah Altamami, Founding Partner, Chief Executive Officer & Shareholder, Merak Capital
Homam Hashem, Chief Executive Officer, Kafalah, SME Fund
Mike Milanov, Executive Head of Gaming & Esports, Qiddiya

17:15 - 18:00

End of Conference Day 1

Time

Hero Stage

08:00 - 09:30

Doors Open and Registration

09:30 - 10:00

Welcome Remarks

The Next Game for Players, Fans and Community

HRH Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud, Chairman, Saudi Esports Federation

10:00 - 10:30

Fireside Chat

From Games to Global Entertainment

Shaping the Future of Interactive Communities

Kate Scott, Sports Broadcaster
Mike Mccabe, Chief Operating Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Paul Cairns, Executive Vice President & Chief Business Officer, Electronic Arts

10:35 - 11:10

Panel Session

FOOTBALL'S NEXT CHAPTER BY AWS

How AI Gaming and Esports are Expanding the Global Game

Pedro Pinto, Journalist
Jan Alessi, Co-Founder & Managing Director, World Football Summit
Thiago Alcantara, Professional Footballer
Dave Mace, Global Leader, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports, AWS
Sam Turkbas, Sr. Director, Esports Product, EA

11:15 - 12:00

Panel Session

WINNING AS A HABIT

Lessons from Esports and Entrepreneurship

Pedro Pinto, Journalist
Magnus Carlsen, Chess Grandmaster & EWC Ambassador
Victor Goossens, Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer, Team Liquid
Steven Bartlett, The Diary of a CEO Podcast host, Founder of Flight Story & Thirdweb

12:00 - 13:00

Networking Lunch

13:00 - 13:45

Panel Session

RULES REWRITTEN

How Two Game Changers Built the Playbook for the Future of Competition

Pedro Pinto, Journalist
Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Peter Moore, Ex-Chief Executive Officer, Liverpool FC

13:45 - 14:15

Panel Session

CONTENT FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

Revolutionizing Platforms, Formats and Fan Engagement

Kate Scott, Sports Broadcaster
Steve Boom, Vice President, Audio, Twitch & Games, Amazon
Toshimoto Mitomo, Chief Strategy Officer, Sony

14:15 - 14:30

Networking Break

14:30 - 15:00

Panel Session

POWER MOVES

Next-Generation Dealmakers Shaping Gaming and Esports Investments

Kartik Prabhakara, Co-Founder & Partner, Aream & Co.
Maria Redin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Modern Times Group
Abdulaziz Al Omran, Founding Partner & Chief Executive Officer, Impact46
Lior Shiff, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Tripledot
Brian Ward, Chief Executive Officer, Savvy Games Group

15:00 - 15:45

Fireside Chat

BLURRING THE LINES

Between Games and Cinema

Christopher Cruz, Senior Gaming Editor, Rolling Stone
Hideo Kojima, Game Creator, Kojima Productions
Nicolas Winding Refn, Film Director, byNWR

15:45 - 15:50

Closing Remarks

Pedro Pinto, Journalist
Kate Scott, Sports Broadcaster

15:50

End of Conference Day 2

Time

Foundry

8:00 - 9:30

Doors Open and Registration

9:30 - 10:00

Blocked for the Main Stage

10:00 - 11:00

Panel Session

DRIVING THE GAME POWERED BY ARAMCO

Creating Equitable Opportunities in Sports, Gaming and Esports

Susannah Streeter, Global Financial Commentator & International Broadcaster
Nicolle Mehry (Cherrygumms), Chief Executive Officer, Black Dragons Dreamers Group
Anna Rozwandowicz, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, The Story Mob
Helena Wulf, Chief of Staff, Surj Sports Investment
Polly Handford, General Counsel, Saudi Arabian Football Federation
Trafford Wilson, Multi Sport Director, Al Qadsiah FC

11:00 - 12:00

Case Study

SPONSORING A WORLD CUP

A Case Study of Esports World Cup 2025 Brand Activation

Susannah Streeter, Global Financial Commentator & International Broadcaster
Francois Desir, Senior Manager Sponsorships, Esports World Cup
Nina Walsh, Global Leader, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports, AWS
Debbie Scott-Bowden, Vice President Commercial, Gaming & Sport, Wasserman
Volker Düring, Vice President & General Manager of Gaming PC Business, Lenovo

12:00 - 13:30

Lunch

13:30 - 14:15

Panel Session

SOUND and SPECTACLE

Orchestrating Unforgettable Moments in Esports and Entertainment

Ariel Horn, Executive Producer, Esports World Cup Foundation
Viranda Tantula, Co-Founder, Potion Projects
Crystal Huh, Brands & Ventures, HYBE America

14:15 - 15:15

Panel Session

BROADCASTING THE NEXT GAME

AI, Spectacle, and the Future of Live Competition, the Essence of Great Esports Products - Analyzing Production, Broadcast and Tournament Trends in Esports

Susannah Streeter, Global Financial Commentator & International Broadcaster
Danny Tang, Co-Founder, CFO & Head of Global Strategy Office, Hero Esports
Robbie Douek, Chief Executive Officer, Blast
Ulrich Schulze, Senior Vice President Game Ecosystems, ESL FACEIT GROUP

16:00

End of Conference Day 2

NGSC UNLOCKED: LIVE AGENDA

live event rsvp

Time

Studio Stage

18:30 - 18:45

NGSC Unlocked

What's Ahead Today?

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast

18:45 - 19:45

NGSC Unlocked

Esports at Scale: From Legacy Teams to Global Innovation

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast
Victor Goossens, Founder & Co-Chief Executive Officer, Team Liquid
Ralf Reichert, Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Time

Studio Stage

16:30 - 16:45

NGSC25 Unlocked

What's Ahead Today?

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast

16:45 - 17:30

NGSC Unlocked

The Gaming Empire Builders

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast
Maria Redin, President & Chief Executive Officer, Modern Times Group
Kartik Prabhakara, Co-founder and Partner, Aream & Co
Bruce Stein, Senior Strategic Advisor

18:00 - 18:45

NGSC Unlocked

Designing the Fight, Mastering the Strategy

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast
Katsuhiro Harada, Game Director & Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Michael Murray, Producer, Bandai Namco Entertainment
Magnus Carlsen, Chess Grandmaster, EWC Ambassador

19:00 - 19:15

NGSC Unlocked

The Daily Wrap

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast

Time

Studio Stage

11:15 - 11:25

NGSC25 Unlocked

What's Ahead Today?

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast

11:30 - 12:00

NGSC Unlocked

Building the Future: How Leaders Navigate Change at Scale

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, Chairman, Saudi Esports Federation
Brian Ward, Chief Executive Officer of Savvy Games Group

14:15 - 15:00

NGSC Unlocked

The Esports Reality Check: New Data from Asia to MENA

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast
Lisa Cosmas Hanson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Niko Partners
Moritz Maurer, Chief Executive Officer & Founder, GRID Esports

15:45 - 16:30

NGSC Unlocked

The Connected Game: Cloud, Fans, and the Future of Football

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast
Dave Mace, Global Leader, Media & Entertainment, Games and Sports, AWS
Daniel Love, Senior Solutions Architect at Amazon Web Services

17:00 - 17:15

NGSC Unlocked

The Daily Wrap

Lama Alhamawi, Founder and Host, Discussions Podcast

The New Global Sport Conference unites top minds from esports, gaming, sports, and entertainment to shape a vision of the future. It’s a place to connect, explore opportunities, and drive the next era of competition. As the industry evolves, NGSC brings together the pioneers, shaping the future of innovation as the Davos of the digital age.

Ralf Reichert

Chief Executive Officer,
Esports World Cup Foundation

Gallery

Fireside chat with gaming and innovation leaders at NGSC 2025, seated in a relaxed setting discussing industry trends

News

Ralf Reichert delivers a closing speech on stage at the New Global Sport Conference 2025 in Riyadh with a full audience of industry leaders and esports professionals New Global Sport Conference 2025 Concludes with Strategic Announcements and Industry Collaboration

New Global Sport Conference 2025 Concludes with Strategic Announcements and Industry Collaboration

25/08/2025

NGSC 2025 Kicks Off with Keynotes, Panels & Masterclasses

New Global Sport Conference 2025 opens with a landmark day of industry-defining announcements, keynotes, panels and masterclasses

23/08/2025

Esports World Cup Foundation announces the Esports Nations Cup, a global nation-based tournament debuting in Riyadh in 2026.

Esports World Cup Foundation Announces Esports Nations Cup

23/08/2025

Speaker Insights

Discover the full line-up

NGSC plays a vital role in advancing Saudia Arabia’s 2030 vision, aligning with our National Gaming and Esports Strategy to position Riyadh as the global capital of esports and a hub for innovation, talent and opportunity.

HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud

Chairman of the Saudi Esports Federation

The Next Game – speaks to a generational rewrite. As digital-native players reshare what competition means, we’re seeing the rise of new formats, new fandoms, and new heroes – with no playbook but their own.

Ralf Reichert

Chief Executive Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

The evolution of gaming, esports, and sports is converging into one global movement, redefining how we play, compete, and connect with the world.

Faisal Bin Homran

Chief Product Officer, Esports World Cup Foundation

Having attended previous editions of NGSC, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful this platform is for sparking real conversations about the future of gaming, esports, and sport. I’m excited to return for NGSC 2025 in Riyadh. Now more than ever, we’re seeing these worlds converge to shape what youth entertainment looks like on a global scale. I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some of the smartest minds in the industry, exchanging ideas, and exploring how we build community, culture, and business in this next chapter of interactive entertainment.

Akshat Rathee

Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming

I am delighted to be speaking at NGSC for the second year. Games and esports are shaping the future of entertainment, and I am looking forward to sharing more on how Savvy is playing in this evolution, particularly given our role as the national champion of games and esports.

Brian Ward

Chief Executive Officer, Savvy Games Group

I’m excited to join NGSC 2025 in Riyadh, the global capital of esports and gaming, and a city that’s rapidly shaping the future of sport and entertainment. As the home of our own annual World Football Summit, Riyadh offers the perfect stage to explore the convergence between gaming, esports, and football – an intersection full of opportunity for innovation and growth. I look forward to sharing how the football industry can both contribute to and benefit from this evolution.

Jan Alessie

Co-Founder & Managing Director, World Football Summit

I’m thrilled to be part of NGSC 2025, a space where bold ideas, emerging technologies, and visionary leadership come together. As AI continues to reshape every industry, the convergence of gaming, esports, and sport represents one of the most dynamic frontiers for innovation and investment. It’s exciting to witness and help shape what comes next.

Marat Karpeko

General Partner NVO & Co-Founder of Wargaming

I have a background in esports in relation to the TEKKEN WORLD TOUR spanning close to ten years now, but the recent developments surrounding the convergence of esports and gaming with physical sports, as seen with the upcoming participation in the Olympic ecosystem, is an intriguing evolution.

The community-based esports that I am familiar with is quite different from the esports with national teams and national selections, participating in an Olympic format, so I’m excited to meet with my peers and discuss the challenges we face and the solutions we might currently envision.

Michael Murray

Producer – Bandai Namco Entertainment

Esports and traditional sports aren’t rivals – they’re reflections of the same cultural force: tribal loyalty, elite competition, and global reach. I’ve seen firsthand how a packed stadium and a packed Twitch stream trigger the same elevated heartbeat. The smartest clubs, leagues and brands aren’t choosing between the two – they’re building bridges and owning both. At NGSC 2025, I can’t wait to discuss the future of these rapidly converging industries.

Peter Moore

Owner, Santa Barbara Sky FC, EX-Chief Executive Officer, Liverpool FC

NGSC 2025 unites pioneering leaders shaping the future of interactive entertainment. I’m honored and thrilled to join the conversation, share NCSOFT’s insights, and explore key issues—from building a vibrant global gaming ecosystem and innovating Game AI, to envisioning the next era of eSports.