Zimpapers Logo

SINGAPORE. — It has already been six months that Paul J. Foster has served as CEO of the Global Esports Federation.

In a wide-ranging conversation, upon reaching his six-month mark as chief, the 51-year-old takes stock of the GEF’s milestones and looks ahead to far-reaching plans.

Question: “You played an integral part in the creation, and now helm the operation of the Global Esports Federation amid an unprecedented global pandemic. What are the benefits and burdens of steering a ship through such a storm?’’

Paul J. Foster (PJF) — “What’s clear to me, after six months as CEO, is that this has been a pivotal moment in our collective history.

“We don’t build a community at a time like this without significant effort that has come about during unprecedented circumstances. It has made us resilient, connected and stronger — together.

“It has taken a lot of energy, grit and grind.

“We love the GEF and we know that it is worth the effort, and our community tells us so.

“What we’re building, we’re building for the people who will come after us and we feel the responsibility and excitement that comes with that pioneering spirit. It is a lot of fun.

“We start every single meeting thinking about our five universal values, our mission and our vision. When we move, we move with mindfulness and purpose.

“As the organisation develops, we’re also conscious of not only what we do, but how we do it, the impact that is derived and the consequences of our actions.

Question — “Your sixth month as CEO coincided with the GEF’s first in-person event, the Global Esports Tour in Los Angeles, which took place two weeks ago. As the world takes a cautious approach to live events, what were the challenges and significance of successfully running the GET?’’

PJF — “It was great to convene our US-based GEF Board and Commission colleagues together in LA, but I couldn’t have the rest of my team there.

“They were spread out all over the world. We couldn’t be physically together, and we also couldn’t celebrate together.

“I believe empathy is what distinguishes us as human beings and there’s nothing like human connection when meeting live. It’s harder now, but not impossible to do remotely.

“The pandemic hasn’t held us back, but it certainly has challenged us because of our ambition to do more.

We’ve proven our ability to operate successfully despite the physical separation and distance.

“The GET LA set a powerful benchmark for live events in this new era. Our performance across our digital platforms exceeded our expectations and that was very rewarding.

“To physically be with players and see them win and lose together was incredibly uplifting and inspiring.

To see the pride on their faces, returning to tough competition in a prestigious LA setting — one of the world’s centers of entertainment — gave us big-time chills.

“To hear players say we have selected global hot spot cities for esports made us super happy and humble.’’

Paul J. Foster’s reflections will continue in tomorrow’s issue of The Herald — GEF