Riot Games Appoints President A. Dylan Jadeja As the New CEO

Riot Games, the developer of popular games such as League of Legends and Valorant, has announced that its current global president, A. Dylan Jadeja will become its next CEO later this year. Jadeja will succeed Nicolo Laurent, who has been the CEO of Riot Games since 2017 and will move to an advisory role.

According to an official statement issued by Riot Games, the CEO transition has been planned for about three years and involved looking both inside and outside the company for the best person for the role. Laurent said that he decided to step down from his position to focus more on his family and move back to France, where he misses living.

Laurent joined Riot Games in 2009 when it was a 40-person startup and helped launch League of Legends to millions of players around the world. He became the CEO in 2017 and oversaw the expansion of Riot Games into new genres, platforms, and regions. He also faced allegations of sexual misconduct from his former executive assistant in 2020, which he denied and was later cleared of by an independent investigation.

Laurent praised Jadeja as his successor and said that he would stay at Riot Games as an advisor for years to come. He also thanked the Rioters for their support and dedication over the years.

Jadeja has been with Riot Games since 2011 when he joined as the Chief Financial Officer. He added Chief Operating Officer to his role in 2014 and became the global president in 2017 when Riot Games’ founders transitioned to co-chair roles. Jadeja has been one of the key leaders in crafting Riot Games’ strategy and driving its culture forward.

Jadeja said that he is honored and humbled to take on the CEO role and that he will continue to pursue Riot Games’ vision of being the world's most trusted and authentic game company. He also said that he does not have all the answers and an action plan already defined but that he will rely on the collective wisdom and creativity of the Rioters to shape the company's future.

He also acknowledged the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for Riot Games, such as delivering more games and experiences to players, fostering a diverse and inclusive culture, and addressing social and environmental issues. He said that he is confident that Riot Games can overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal with its talented and passionate team.

The CEO transition from Laurent to Jadeja is expected to be completed by the end of 2023, after which more details about the leadership handoff will be shared.