BUSINESS SAVVY


Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group, tells Vince Pavey about its mission to drive the growth and development of the games industry in Saudi Arabia and beyond


T


he Savvy Games Group is a holding company owned by the Public Investment Fund, a controversial sovereign wealth


fund on a mission to grow Saudi Arabia’s national economy under the current rulership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It does so through capital investment in


several lucrative industries, including technology, communications and entertainment. At the time of writing, the Savvy Games Group is made up of five companies, the ESL FACEIT Group, Nine66, VOV, Savvy Games Studios and the Savvy Games Fund, each with its own aims and objectives that cover a different aspect of the video game business. Its CEO is Brian Ward, a well-known figure


of the video game industry, who has spent time in leadership positions at huge companies like


Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Activision within his lengthy and ongoing career. He’s taken the time to meet with me in London to explain exactly what the holding company is currently up to in the games and esports industries, and why.


You’ve held a number of high profile roles in gaming. What attracted you to this one? First of all, the scale and scope of the ambition. Trying to do all of these things that we’re meant to do in the portfolio companies and operating companies, all at the same time. Nobody’s really tried to do that in our industry. Secondly, there’s a lot of capital committed to the exercise, which I thought was interesting at the time. Not just capital, but commitment long term. Not just like ‘we’re gonna try this for 18 months’. That’s what got me


Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group


March 2023 MCV/DEVELOP | 43


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