According to a official announcement released by Riot, Nicolo Laurent will step down as CEO of Riot Games. He will be replaced by Dylan Jadeja who is currently the global president. Laurent will move to a advisory role in order to spend more time with his family. This is after six years as CEO. The CEO transition should be complete by the end 2023.
Laurent was a key part of Riot Games when it was a “40 person startup” in 2009. He became CEO in 2017. Riot Games was accused under his leadership of creating a “bro culture” that is sexist. Laurent himself was accused of sexual misconduct by his former executive assistant.
Jadeja joined Riot Games in 2011 as Chief Financial officer and has held the position of Global President since 2017. Laurent says that the planning for his successor took three years and that Riot looked both within and outside of the company for the best candidate.
“I know this may seem sudden but it’s something that I’ve been thinking about for some time. Laurent wrote in an open note that he had been lucky enough to experience a long journey with Riot. While this chapter is ending, I do not view it as a conclusion — I do not plan to join another company or start a new one.
It would be dishonest of me to claim that I already have the answers and a plan in place.
In his open letter to Riot fans, Jadeja said: “It would be dishonest of me to claim that I already have the answers or an action plan defined.” As CEO, I am sure I will do things differently from those who came before me. But I assure you, the goal we have set for ourselves — together — won’t change. Riot must be the most authentic and trusted game company on the planet, built by players for players.
In an investigation conducted by Kotaku in 2018, several former Riot employees claimed to have been sexually harassed and groomed for promotion, as well as receiving pictures of their genitals without permission. Riot’s male leaders were described as frequently grabbing their genitals during meetings and farting in the faces of his employees. Laurent wasn’t named in the Kotaku exposé.
dexerto, however, noted that a report by titled Wired published in 2021 claimed Laurent had protected some of those employees who were holding leadership positions at the company. The 2018 discrimination lawsuit brought by eight former employees of Riot Games was settled for 100 million dollars.
