Riot Games has announced the creation of a new position within its esports division – head of global esports operations. To fill the role which will report directly to global head of Esports John Needham, Riot has promoted current senior director of Global Esports and Global Head of Valorant Esports Whalen Rozelle. Rozelle will now oversee management and operations across Riot’s various esports entities including League of Legends, Wild Rift, Valorant, and Organized Play (the group which encompasses Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and other titles).
In this new role, Rozelle will also provide high-level management oversight to Riot’s various regional leagues. He will continue to serve as head of Valorant Esports until the position can be filled and Rozelle will oversee that search process alongside Needham.
Rozelle joined Riot Games in 2012, becoming co-head of League of Legends Esports. He oversaw the creation of the LCS as well as the league’s transition to a franchise model. In 2019 he moved from League of Legends to spin up Valorant esports operations within Riot prior to the game’s launch in 2020. Rozelle was named to Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 class in 2019.
