EXCEL ESPORTS APPOINTS TIM REICHERT AS NEW CEO

British competitive gaming culture brand, EXCEL ESPORTS, is pleased to announce Tim Reichert as the organisation’s new CEO. Taking on all business responsibilities and driving the organisation to new heights, Reichert will focus on delivering the organisation’s ambitions towards increased revenue, increased community growth and competitive success.

Former CEO, Wouter Sleijffers, will become Strategic Advisor to the Board where he will support the organisation’s strategic expansion, exploring and developing opportunities for growth and monetisation. Sleijffers will continue to represent EXCEL and build on its international presence. The leadership team also welcomes Rosenbelle Ganan as the new Director of Operations & Legal Affairs, who will be leading the company’s operational responsibilities across London and Germany. Ganan began her career in esports at Fnatic spending four years in various leadership roles including Finance Director and Head of Legal. She has overseen the legal affairs at EXCEL for two years and broadened her role to lead a best-in-class operations team in esports and support the expansion of EXCEL’s event spaces in London XLHQ and Berlin to become a prime destination for the industry, partners, teams and community.

Tim burst onto the esports scene in 1997 after co-founding esports organisation SK Gaming alongside his brothers, Ralf and Benjamin Reichert. He then turned to his second passion in life, football, where he became a professional footballer playing for the likes of Rot-Weiss Oberhausen. Tim utilised his knowledge and experience from esports and traditional sports to become Head of Esports at FC Schalke 04 Esports. During his time at the organisation, he developed the most successful esports roster for a traditional sports club with the League of Legends team securing playoffs and top-place finishes in 2018 and 2019 in the prestigious League of Legends European Championship.

Joining EXCEL in 2021 as Esports Director, Tim successfully drove the development and growth of the team’s rosters including the entry into new titles and was instrumental in the signing of world-class talents such as four-time back-to-back LEC winner Michael “Mikyx” Mehle. Reichert also helped increase the team’s performance including EXCEL’s first-ever LEC playoffs spot. Appointed Chief Operations Officer in May 2022, he has since helped the team’s rosters to become a competitive force in the European esports scene and continued to help grow the brand. As CEO, Reichert will continue to drive the organisation’s competitive success and further grow the brand to become a leading organisation in the European esports scene.

Sleijffers first joined EXCEL in October 2019 from Fnatic, where as CEO he grew the organisation into a globally renowned lifestyle brand. Since joining EXCEL Sleijffers took the organisation and brand to the global top, and built a team of experienced and passionate people, surrounded by great talent, fans and partners. Under his leadership, EXCEL signed partnerships with BT, JD Sports, Just Eat, and SONY’s INZONE as well as renewed its partnership with EE for a further three years, now one of the longest-standing mainstream partnerships in esports. Last year also saw EXCEL strengthen its infrastructure with a new HQ in Central London and a training facility in Berlin for its League of Legends team.

Tim Reichert, CEO of EXCEL ESPORTS commented: “I am thrilled to be appointed the new CEO of EXCEL ESPORTS. We are an incredibly ambitious team that constantly looks for new approaches and ways to improve, and improvement can only happen with change. I am very happy to welcome Rose into the leadership team and to continue working with Wouter.

EXCEL is developing into one of the strongest European competitive esports organisations and I am proud to continue paving this path with my colleagues.”

Wouter Sleijffers, Strategic Advisor to the Board at EXCEL ESPORTS commented: “My journey at EXCEL ESPORTS started in October 2019. After more than three years at the helm, and nearly eight years as the CEO of two successful esports organisations, it is the right time to hand over the reins.. Tim is the right person to take EXCEL ESPORTS further and I look forward to welcoming Rose to her new position. I’m excited for this new chapter and to continue developing EXCEL’s future whilst still supporting the team under Tim’s leadership.”

Rosenbelle Ganan, Director of Operations and Legal Affairs at EXCEL ESPORTS commented: “I’m honoured to continue working alongside a supportive group of investors, in JRJ, and an experienced team of leaders, Tim, Wouter, Oskar and Mark, who steered EXCEL to new heights in 2022. I’m very excited to be part of a team that is a rising star in esports and building a dynamic brand.” 

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