Swedish esports platform Challengermode has named Dan-Alp Lindberg as Chief Financial Officer and promoted its Head of Business Development, Philip Hubner, to the role of Chief Business Development Officer.
In his new role, Hubner will draw on this experience to “translate increased accessibility in esports into greater value for stakeholders”. As CFO, Lindberg will focus on Challengermode’s growth strategy.
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Lindberg has over 15 years of management experience at both large companies and scale-ups, including roles at IKEA as well as creative agency and entertainment company B-Reel. In the release, Challengermode praised his knowledge of finance, operations, risk and analytics, which he will apply to the constantly evolving world of esports.
Hubner first joined Challengermode in 2017 as Head of Business Development, where he onboarded the very first partners at the company and devised the company’s partnerships and business strategy. A former competitive DOTA player, his professional knowledge spans product management, marketing and communications, as well as business development and strategy.
Lindberg shared his excitement in a release: “I am super excited to step into the role of CFO at Challengermode and look forward to continuing to roll out our esports platform internationally. I truly believe the team and this platform has incredible potential to accelerate the growth of esports, harness the space’s commercial potential, facilitate new business models and establish new revenue streams along the way.”
The hires come at a pivotal time for Challengermode, having just secured a $12m investment round led by eWTP Innovation Fund, the global investment arm of the Alibaba Group, Telia Ventures and Swedish football star Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
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Hubner looks forward to the future of esports, as he commented: “I’ve always been keen to help grow esports as an industry, even back when I was a competitor — so I am excited to be bringing that accumulated experience to my new role as CBDO. For all its recent success, the esports industry is still relatively young and is still in a process of change.
“While sponsorships and big event tournaments will continue to be important, our mission is to create new partnerships and new opportunities that will drive growth in the grassroots level of esports in the years to come.”
Esports Insider says: This is the perfect year to grow a digital esports platform for amateur players. With the future of live events on hold, and gamers bracing for more COVID-19 lockdowns, Challengermode stands to benefit in a big way. Of course, being backed by a popular athlete doesn’t hurt, either.