Board changes

RNS Number : 6874G

Guild Esports PLC

17 November 2022

 

The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014, as retained as part of the law of England and Wales. Upon the publication of this announcement via the Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now considered to be in the public domain.

Press release

17 November 2022

Guild Esports PLC

("Guild Esports" or "the Company")

Board changes

Guild Esports (LSE: GILD), a global teams organisation and lifestyle brand, is pleased to announce the following changes to its Board of Directors.

Jasmine Skee has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer and Director to drive the next phase of the Company's growth. Ms Skee is based in London and currently holds the position of Chief Marketing Officer. She succeeds Kal Hourd who, having established a solid foundation for Guild, has taken the personal decision to step down from the Board and leave the Company. Both changes will take effect on 1 January 2023.

Ms Skee brings more than 20 years of global experience across sport, entertainment, telecoms and media, of which the past 10 years were at senior level with executive management responsibility. She joined the Company in March 2022 and has worked closely with Guild's Board, playing a leading role in the delivery of key partnerships including Sky UK and the launch of Guild College with SCL Education.

Previously, Ms Skee served as Director of Propositions & Products at Three UK, the mobile telecoms company, where she delivered partnerships with global brands such as Chelsea FC, Activision and Snap. Her additional experience includes Marketing Director at Live Nation Entertainment, where she developed the brand's marketing strategy for the UK, and Head of Music Sponsorship at O2 UK, where she worked to launch and manage the O2 Priority ticketing programme.

The Company is also pleased to announce that Jocelin Caldwell has been appointed a non-executive director with immediate effect. She replaces Mike Edwards, who is stepping down from the Board due to time commitments at his other business interests.

Ms. Caldwell is a co-founder of Guild Esports and was previously its Chief Operating Officer, where she provided executive leadership and oversaw strategic HR planning. She is a former Vice President of Operations at professional training company WCG Services. She has extensive experience managing large contracts, working collaboratively with senior management teams, supervising and motivating staff, and building strong relationships with multiple stakeholders.

Guild's business operations and strategy remain unaffected, and the Company continues to trade in line with management expectations.

The Company also intends to further strengthen the Board with a non-executive director appointment in due course.

Derek Lew, Non-Executive Chairman of Guild Esports, commented: "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Kal for his leadership, under which Guild has grown from a start-up to a leading global esports brand partnered with world-renowned brands including Samsung, Subway, Coca-Cola and Sky, with an engaged audience and headquartered in the state-of-the-art Sky Guild Gaming Centre. With the first phase of Guild's growth complete, he has taken the decision to step down. I would also like to thank Mike for his excellent work and trusted counsel. I wish them all the best in their future endeavours.

"Jasmine's appointment opens an exciting new chapter for Guild, as we look to continue the positive growth momentum generated by the partnership deals signed with iconic global brands this year. Jasmine has developed a deep knowledge of sport, music, entertainment and media over her career, and we are confident she is the right person to spearhead the next stage of the Company's long-term commercial strategy. I am also delighted to welcome Jocelin to the Board, where her esports sector experience will enhance the Board's strategic oversight of the Company."

Kal Hourd commented: "The signing of several major deals this year, including one of the largest in European esports history, marks a significant personal milestone for me. Having established a strong revenue base and a tighter cost structure, the goal set out when I became CEO to build a top global esports organisation has now been accomplished. It is therefore time to pass on the baton. I am thrilled by Jasmine's appointment and will be cheering her on from the sidelines."

Were LR 9.6.13 to apply to the Company, there would be no further information to disclose.

For further information please contact:

Guild Esports
Kal Hourd Chief Executive Neil Thapar Investor Relations	via Tancredi [phone] [phone]
Tennyson Securities
Corporate Broker Peter Krens	[phone]
Zeus Capital
Corporate Broker Benjamin Robertson	[phone]
Tancredi Intelligent Communication Media Relations
Salamander Davoudi Helen Humphrey Charlie Hobbs [e-mail]	[phone] [phone] [phone]

About Guild Esports:

Guild Esports PLC is a global fan-focused team organisation and lifestyle brand that fields professional players in gaming competitions under the Guild banner. Our in-house training academy aims to attract and nurture the best esports talent, and our goal is to provide the ultimate entertainment experience alongside a distinctive lifestyle brand authentic to the esports community worldwide. Guild is led by an experienced management team of esports veterans and co-owned by David Beckham. The Company is headquartered in the UK and its shares are listed on the main market of the London Stock Exchange (ticker: GILD) and on the OTCQB Venture Market in the United States (ticker: GULDF). Please visit www.guildesports.com for more information.

 

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