SEF, EFG and Hero Esports join LEAP gaming panel
Leading figures from the Saudi Esports Federation (SEF), ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) and Hero Esports will come together at LEAP 2026 in Riyadh for a Main Stage discussion on the growing scale and commercial influence of competitive gaming.
The “Esports: The Business of Play” panel will bring together HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, chairman of SEF; Rawan Al Butairi, CEO of SEF; Niccolò Maisto, CEO of EFG; and Danny Tang, CEO of Hero Esports.
HRH Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud has chaired SEF since its establishment in 2017. Under his leadership, SEF has grown into the central body overseeing the development of Saudi Arabia’s gaming and esports ecosystem.
As CEO of SEF, Rawan Al Butairi leads the strategic execution of Saudi Arabia’s National Gaming and Esports Strategy, part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 ambitions to develop its gaming and esports ecosystem, talent and long-term industry growth.
Niccolò Maisto, meanwhile, heads one of the world’s leading esports operators, with EFG’s gaming platform reaching more than 30 million users globally.
Danny Tang has been with Hero Esports since its founding in 2016 and became CEO in 2024, having previously served as CFO and head of its Global Strategy Office.
The discussion, moderated by Mohammed Islam, founder and host of The Mo Show, will take place on August 31 at 5.50pm on the Main Stage at RECC Malham.
The session will examine where esports sits alongside traditional sports and entertainment, with a particular focus on the scale of the industry and the audience metrics that demonstrate its growing reach.
It will also explore how EFG and Hero Esports are helping build a new platform around competitive gaming as esports increasingly establishes itself as a global entertainment and commercial force.
Maisto will also join Tang and Jad El Mir earlier that afternoon for a separate fireside chat focused on the operational growth of esports.
“Esports 2.0: From local markets to the global stage” will take place at 2.35pm on the GameX Stage and examine the industry’s development from local markets to the global stage.
Both sessions form part of the LEAP programme in Riyadh on August 31. Tickets and passes for LEAP 2026 are available through the event website, with general admission free for registrations made before August 30.
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