We’re here to lead global games investment and growth by empowering people

Driving
Growth

Savvy Games Group's acquisitions, investments and businesses are aimed at driving the long-term growth and development of the games and esports industry globally.

Creating
Opportunities

Savvy Games Group is committed to expanding the positive benefits of games and is dedicated to creating more opportunities for participation and progression, across gender, geography, means and ability.

Empowering
Partners

Savvy Games Group’s investments are made to build and strengthen the core competencies of its partners, enabling these companies to focus on improving the user experience across their products and services.
Driving Growth

Savvy Games Group’s acquisitions, investments and businesses are aimed at driving the long-term growth and development of the games and esports industry globally.

Creating Opportunities

Savvy Games Group is committed  to expanding the positive benefits of games and is dedicated to creating more opportunities for participation and progression, across gender, geography, means and ability.

Empowering Partners

Savvy Games Group’s investments are made to build and strengthen the core competencies of its partners, enabling these companies to focus on improving the user experience across their products and services.

About Savvy
Games Group

Savvy Games Group is a games and esports company formed with a mission to drive the long-term growth and development of esports and the broader games industry worldwide.

The games industry is one of the most exciting and buoyant sectors globally, with games the world’s fastest-growing form of entertainment and esports the world’s fastest-growing sport.

Through games, we see people of all backgrounds, ages, nationalities, genders and abilities connect, play, learn, compete and triumph together.

We believe that games and esports are fast becoming key enablers for better entertainment, health, and education. We want to create and support more opportunities for people to benefit from and progress within the industry.

Our company is dedicated to driving the sector’s growth globally, leading global games investment, enabling more game developers and technology innovators and facilitating broader, more equitable access to this fast-growing, dynamic sector.

Savvy Games Group exists to: lead global games investment and growth by empowering people.

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Savvy’s executive leadership team share the business vision and progress

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Savvy Games Group completes acquisition of Scopely

How we work

Savvy Games aims to be one of the most active and prolific investors in the games industry – using significant capital to play a leading role in the long-term growth and development of the sector.

Savvy Games will make commercially-driven acquisitions designed to build and strengthen its partners’ core competencies, enabling these companies to focus on improving the user experience across their products and services.

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Our People

Brian Ward Headshot
Brian Ward

Group CEO

Brian is CEO of Savvy Games Group, the Riyadh-based games and esports company with a mission to lead investment and long-term growth of the industry. Under his leadership, in less than three years, Savvy has become the world’s largest esports company and one of the largest games publishers, with 3500 employees in 22 countries, including several award-winning teams and intellectual properties.

Brian has nearly 30 years of studio and operations experience, including leadership positions at Electronic Arts, Microsoft, and Activision Blizzard. While leading worldwide studios at Activision, he managed all development and more than a dozen studio acquisitions – tripling capacity, quadrupling revenue, and posting industry-leading margins. Games he helped lead have won more than 300 Game of The Year and 1400 Editor’s Choice and Outstanding Achievement awards, and include six #1 entertainment franchises, with lifetime revenues of more than $35 billion.

Brian is a board member of Embracer Group AB, an international games and entertainment group, in which Savvy Games Group is an investor.

Saleh Alfadhel Headshot
Saleh Alfadhel

Chief Financial Officer, Savvy Games Group

Saleh Alfadhel is a seasoned financial expert renowned for his extensive background in finance and accounting. Formerly the Group Chief Financial Officer at Saudia, one of the largest airlines in the Middle East, Saleh brings a wealth of experience to his role. He has a remarkable track record serving on various boards and audit committees, including Riyadh Airports, Flyadeal, and AXA insurance, which further solidifies his reputation as a financial leader. Saleh now spearheads the financial strategy and operations of Savvy Games Group. As an integral member of the Executive Leadership Team, he plays a pivotal role in driving our growth, profitability and success.

Feras Houhou Headshot
Feras Houhou

General Counsel, Savvy Games Group

Feras Houhou is a seasoned legal professional with a distinguished career spanning over 16 years in the capital markets industry. Prior to joining Savvy, he served as the Chief Legal and Governance Officer and Board Secretary at SNB Capital Company. During his tenure, Feras oversaw critical legal functions and governance affairs, and provided advice on major cross-border financial transactions.

As General Counsel, Feras is responsible for five key control and advisory functions, including legal affairs, risk management, compliance, governance, and board affairs. Feras is a graduate of both Georgetown Law School, holding an LLM in Securities and Financial Regulations, and Harvard Business School, where he attended the General Management Program.

Majed Al-Muhanna headshot
Majed Al-Muhanna

Chief Human Resources Officer

Majed has wide-ranging experience of human resources leadership roles at major financial and consumer-facing organisations across the investment banking, retail, and manufacturing sectors. He was previously Chief Human Capital Officer of SNB Capital, where he was a member of the organisation’s leadership team and drove its human capital strategy. In addition to his role at Savvy, Majed currently serves as Chair of the Human Resources Committee of the Capital Market Institutions Committee, which supports the development of the capital market sector in Saudi Arabia.

Majed is responsible for Savvy’s human resources strategy, including overseeing talent development and attraction of both local and international games specialists.

Nick Archer Headshot
Nick Archer

Senior Vice President and Head of Group Communications, Savvy Games Group

Nick Archer has over 30 years’ experience in corporate communications and public relations. Prior to joining Savvy he served as the interim Vice President, Corporate Communications at MBCC Group for a year.  Before that, he was acting Chief Communications Officer at Rio Tinto plc, where he oversaw media, employee, government, crisis, digital, and executive communications.  Nick previously worked at Suzlon Group, and Edelman.  He has lived in the UK, USA, India, Mongolia, and the Netherlands.

Nick oversees Savvy Games Group’s global communications team and strategy.

David Phipps Headshot
David Phipps

Chief Internal Audit Officer, Savvy Games Group

David Phipps has an extensive background in internal audit and risk management, having held key leadership positions in prestigious organizations across multiple jurisdictions. His career spans almost 30 years, with notable experiences in overseas markets, including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the Gulf region. Prior to joining Savvy, David served as the Internal Audit Director at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), where he successfully led the setup of the Internal Audit function, as well as other critical risk management activities.

Amr Sager Headshot
Amr Sager

Chief of Staff

Amr Sager has an extensive background in strategy execution, finance, and board management, with over 20 years of experience spanning various sectors. He has held critical leadership roles in companies such as Al Rajhi Bank, Catrion (formerly Saudi Airlines Catering Company), Dar Alarkan, and Shaker Group. Notably, he has led transformation, change management, business planning, and investor relations functions, contributing to the success of these organisations. In his role as Chief of Staff at Savvy, Amr leads on execution and transformation, bringing people together across the business to deliver Savvy’s strategy.

ESL FACEIT Group

The integration of the ESL FACEIT Group has created a leading global esports company. Under SGG, the ESL FACEIT Group will drive the growth of competitive gaming.

ESL FACEIT Group combines ESL’s strong track record of building, broadcasting, and commercialising premium esports content and FACEIT’s capabilities as a best-in-class online competitive games platform.

With complimentary offerings, ESL FACEIT Group will create the leading digital platform for competitive gamers. It will deliver an end-to-end solution to build competitive gaming communities, offer a destination for partners looking to reach new audiences and set the gold standard for esports competitions and gaming industry events featuring the best IP, leagues, teams, and multilingual content.

Nine66

Nine66 is creating an integrated support system for game developers across the region. Headquartered in Riyadh, Nine66 will provide infrastructure, skills development, network, capital and advisory services to games studios and developers in Saudi Arabia and beyond.

Through a multi-faceted approach, Nine66 is building a community for game developers to meet, network, showcase their portfolio, market themselves, learn from others and upgrade their skill set, as well as access key stakeholders in the industry.

Nine66 has created a 3rd party publisher for the MENA region, enabling international game developers to localise their products for the MENA region, and to help MENA-based developers publish their games in global markets.

Scopely

Scopely is a global interactive entertainment and mobile-first video game company, home to many top-grossing, award-winning franchises including “MONOPOLY GO!,” “Star Trek™ Fleet Command,” “Stumble Guys” and “Yahtzee® With Buddies,” among others. Scopely creates, publishes, and live-operates immersive games that empower a directed-by-consumer™ experience.

Founded in 2011, Scopely is fueled by a world-class team and a proprietary technology platform Playgami™ that supports one of the most diversified portfolios in the games industry. Recognized multiple times as one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies,” Scopely is a multi-billion-dollar business due to its ability to create long-lasting game experiences that players enjoy for years.

Scopely has global operations in more than a dozen markets across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America, with additional game studio partners across four continents.

Steer Studios

Steer Studios is an international game development studio headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Steer is on a mission to create groundbreaking gaming experiences for players from around the world. Part of Savvy Games Group, Steer is lead by Chief Executive Officer, Yannick Theler, and a team of global and regional talent with decades of experience in the games sector.

VOV

VOV is developing and investing in an extensive footprint of innovative games venues across the world, creating a leading chain of games venues and enabling greater access to competitive gaming.

VOV encompasses three key areas – game play, focused on community venues, the academy, designed to recognise talent and provide player training, and pathways to pro, where talented players will be supported to become professional.  Starting in Riyadh, VOV is set to open three gaming venues in 2022, with many more set to open across the country by 2025.

VOV aims to offer a holistic service to users that puts mental and physical health at the forefront of their games experience.

Craig Levine

Co-CEO of the ESL FACEIT Group

As a seasoned gamer, Craig Levine has been at the forefront of esports for more than 20 years. Craig began turning his long-term passion into what was to become a successful career by founding Team 3D, the first professional and thriving video game team in North America, and by co-founding ESEA, a gaming community focussed on a premium player experience. Eager to drive the industry forward even further, Craig played a big role in the founding of ESS Agency, an event marketing and technology company specializing in video game entertainment.

Craig joined ESL Gaming, the world’s largest esports company, in 2014 when ESL acquired ESS Agency and ESEA to expand its global and digital footprint. Having served as CEO of North America and Chief Strategy Officer globally, Craig currently serves as co-CEO. In this position he leads the global business strategy and operations. Furthermore, Craig plays a crucial role in inspiring the company vision and creating a world where everybody can be somebody.

Niccolo Maisto

Co-CEO of the ESL FACEIT Group

Niccolo Co-Founded FACEIT, the leading competitive gaming platform, in 2011. As the CEO he drove the company’s vision and grew FACEIT to over 26 million users. 

Niccolo graduated in Business Administration from Universita Commerciale Luigi Bocconi and joined Lehman Brothers, where he worked in the TMT Investment Banking team. He founded FACEIT while completing his MBA degree at NYU Stern. 

FACEIT was recently sold along with ESL Gaming (forming ESL FACEIT Group) to Savvy Gaming Group for $1.5B, the biggest sale to take place in the esports industry. As the Co-CEO of the Group Niccolo continues to oversee the strategy and organization of the company.

Javier Ferreira Headshot
Javier Ferreira

Co-Chief Executive Officer, Scopely

Javier Ferreira serves as the co-Chief Executive Officer of Scopely, one of the most scaled and fastest growing mobile-first video game companies in the world.

With over two decades of experience in gaming, technology and digital media at a range of companies including The Walt Disney Company and Electronic Arts (EA), Javier joined Scopely in 2014 as Chief Operating Officer to expand its operations, strategy, slate and partnerships, just prior to the company securing Series A financing. In 2016, he also became President and joined the Scopely Board. In 2019, he became co-Chief Executive with co-founder Walter Driver. Javier has been recognized as “Visionary of the Year” by C-Suite Quarterly, “Dealmaker of the Year” by Variety magazine, and multiple times on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “500 Most Influential” executives, among other recognitions for his work at Scopely.

Walter Driver Headhsot
Walter Driver

Co-Chief Executive Officer, Scopely

Walter Driver is the co-founder, Chairman and co-Chief Executive Officer of Scopely, one of the most scaled and fastest growing mobile-first video game companies in the world.

Walter is an investor and advisor to many private technology companies as well as a member of the World Economic Forum and the Young Presidents’ Organization. Prior to Scopely, Walter founded O Negative Media where he developed online social games and Ignition Interactive, one of the first developers of third-party applications for Facebook. Walter has been recognized as one of the “100 Most Influential Young Executives” by The Business Journal, “Visionary of the Year” by C-Suite Quarterly, “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Ernst & Young, one of the “100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs” by Goldman Sachs, multiple times on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “500 Most Influential” executives, and a “Dealmaker of the Year” by Variety magazine for his work at Scopely.

Yannick Theler Headshot
Yannick Theler

CEO of Steer Studios

Yannick Theler, CEO of Steer Studios, joins from Ubisoft where he worked for 19 years across Europe, China and the Middle East. At Ubisoft he covered all facets of the company, most notably establishing their Abu Dhabi studio ten years ago, a studio that is today the home of CSI Hidden Crimes, NCIS Hidden Crimes, Growtopia and Clash of Beasts. Theler leads Steer Studios – a company with a mission to make the most exciting game franchises in the world.