Evil Geniuses announced today the hiring of former New York Islanders and USB Arena Vice President of Partnership Sales Leonard Edwards as the company’s new Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships.
Edwards brings more than 20 years of experience in sports and partnerships, including stints with a multitude of professional sports teams, including the Islanders, along with the New Jersey Devils, NASCAR, Orlando Magic, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Arizona Coyotes, and fellow esports organization Team Dignitas.
As the new Head of Global Partnerships, Edwards will look to leverage his experience to grow EG’s brand awareness and reputation through new and existing relationships with brands that share Evil Geniuses’ vision and values for gaming and esports. For more information, please see the press release below.
As the Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships at EG, Edwards will oversee the entirety of the company’s sales initiatives, including new partnerships, sponsorships, and commercial sales opportunities. With more than 20 years of experience in partnerships and sales, Edwards will leverage his experience to grow EG’s brand awareness and reputation through new and existing relationships with brands that share Evil Geniuses’ vision and values for gaming and esports. These values include EG’s focus on creating, nurturing, and sustaining an inclusive global gaming community for all and producing unforgettable entertainment experiences for that fandom while ensuring the spirit of competition is always at the company’s core.
“Evil Geniuses has created the premier destination for brands looking to break into esports by building a values-led brand that is welcoming to all,” said Leonard Edwards, Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships at Evil Geniuses. “Nicole LaPointe Jameson is a fierce leader with big goals for this organization. As the new leader of the sales team, I look forward to contributing to those goals by expanding EG’s global commercial footprint through clever initiatives with brands that share our undeterred commitment to excellence in everything that we do.”
Edwards comes to Evil Geniuses from the popular National Hockey League (NHL) team, the New York Islanders, where he served as the former Vice President of Partnership Sales and secured partnerships for the team and USB Arena with Hyundai USA, McDonalds, and Enterprise. Before then, Edwards had roles with companies and professional sports teams, such as the Prudential Center, the New Jersey Devils, NASCAR, Orlando Magic, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Arizona Coyotes. Edwards also has a deep understanding of the esports and gaming industry, having previously been a leader on the corporate partnership team for esports organization Dignitas.
“Leonard Edwards is a decorated executive in the sports world that we’re extremely happy to welcome to the Evil Geniuses family,” said Nicole LaPointe Jameson, CEO of Evil Geniuses. “His deep knowledge of the sports and gaming world, along with his expertise in leading highly successful sales teams, makes him the perfect fit to lead Evil Geniuses commercial initiatives into the future and further solidify Evil Geniuses as the top choice for brands looking to break into esports for the first time.”
