International tournament organizer BLAST announced this week that it has appointed Anne Banschbach as program director of Valve Ecosystems and development, which includes Dota 2 and Counter-Strike 2.
In this new role, Banschbach will steer the strategic direction of two BLAST properties: BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam, the company’s flagship Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 tournament series, respectively. This will include overseeing relationships with partners, teams, players and key stakeholders, and serving as a leader in the Valve competitive gaming ecosystem. she will also take the lead in engaging with fans and media to amplify the company’s voice within the industry, according to the announcement.
Banschbach joins BLAST from French esports organization Team Vitality, where she spent nearly four years in charge of its esports operations as head of esports operations andf director of esports. She also served in various roles at Berlin-based G2 Esports, German sports marketing firm Spond, marketing data platform Grips Intelligence, and as a self-employed marketing specialist for more than three years.
“I’m super excited to be jumping onboard with BLAST leading Premier and Slam as well as helping with new projects,” said Anne Banschbach. “I’ve gained lots of knowledge from my time on the other side of the industry and I’m ready to help BLAST step up their game and deliver great events. BLAST is already delivering a strong product and I think we could communicate and interact with the community more and I’m excited to take on this more public-facing role within the org.”
BLAST operates major tournaments in the Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 competitive ecosystem, as well as competitions in Rocket League, Fortnite, PUBG, and Rainbow Six Siege. The company’s next foray into the Valve esports ecosystem includes BLAST Dota Slam IV from Nov. 7 – 9, in Singapore; and BLAST Premier heading to Hong Kong Nov. 12 – 16, for BLAST Rivals.