Team: Technology

Activity: Full-time

Role grade: Chief Officer (9)

Direct reports: 3

Indirect reports: 6

Reporting to: COO

Role location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Job Purpose: The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is responsible for defining and leading the Esports Foundation's technology, platform, data, AI and digital strategy as a core driver of business transformation, scalability and long-term institutional value.

The role will build the permanent technology, data and AI capabilities that can be reused across the Esports World Cup, Esports Nations Cup and future products and programmes, reducing fragmentation and enabling the Foundation to operate more effectively at scale. The CTO owns technology architecture, engineering, core platforms, data, enterprise technology and the technical foundations supporting digital products, media and competition.

The role requires a strong understanding of the business the technology must enable — including live events, media and production, distribution, audiences, commercial objectives and international operations — and the ability to translate those needs into scalable technology capabilities.

Reporting to the COO, the CTO will work closely with the CEO and Executive Leadership Team to provide the systems, data, automation and technology capabilities that enable better decision-making and organisational performance.

Duties And Responsibilities

Technology & Platform Strategy

Own the Foundation's strategy & technology-enabled transformation, using technology, data, AI and automation to redesign how the organisation operates, scales and creates value.
Partner with functional leaders to redesign workflows and operating models, with each functional leader accountable for adoption and business outcomes within their function.
Lead the technology, data and automation dimension of the shift from project-based delivery toward permanent, reusable capabilities.
Establish common platforms, APIs and reusable capabilities across events, products and programmes.
Translate strategic priorities into scalable technology capabilities and advise the CEO, Executive Leadership Team and relevant oversight bodies on major technology decisions.
Partner with Digital Products, while they own the customer proposition, roadmap priorities and product outcomes; Technology owns architecture, engineering, technical delivery and lifecycle, with build/buy/partner decisions made jointly where relevant.
Lead build, buy or partner decisions based on strategic value, scalability, total cost of ownership and long-term capability needs.

Data & Artificial Intelligence

Own the Foundation's AI strategy, infrastructure, platforms, governance, and practical adoption, with a focus on measurable productivity improvements, reduced cycle times, and better decision-making.
Provide the shared AI infrastructure, tools, data access, standards and enablement required for adoption across the Foundation.
Partner with functional leaders to identify and scale high-value AI use cases, with functional leaders accountable for changing how their teams work and delivering the resulting business outcomes.
Scale AI and automation across functions to enable a lean organisation to operate effectively at greater scale.
Establish the Foundation's authoritative data layer for the entities and activities it operates and has rights to, including players, clubs, teams, competitions, matches, media assets, partners and other core entities relevant to Foundation products.
Ensure consistent identities, schemas and data standards across platforms and products.
Secure reliable and independent access to critical data where contractually and technically possible.
Govern data as a strategic asset, ensuring appropriate stewardship, quality, accessibility and use in decision-making.

Media, Competition & Event Technology

Own the architecture, standards, systems and integrations supporting the Foundation's media and competition technology environment.
Ensure media assets and competition data are connected through common identity and data structures.
Partner with Media, which owns the media product, editorial requirements, production proposition and distribution objectives, while Technology owns the underlying architecture, standards, systems, integrations and technical lifecycle.
Establish standing technology architecture, standards and mission-critical technology governance for EWC and ENC, with event teams and partners responsible for operational execution against those standards.
Ensure mission-critical competition and live environments meet appropriate standards of reliability, integrity, resilience and operational continuity.

Enterprise Technology

Own and continuously improve the Foundation's enterprise technology environment, including workplace technology, enterprise applications, integrations and collaboration capabilities.
Simplify and integrate the technology landscape to improve user experience, efficiency and scalability.
Enable a globally distributed organisation and its partners to operate effectively through modern and reliable technology.
Build sustainable internal technology knowledge and capability, supported by specialist external partners where appropriate.

Technology Governance, Investment & Partnerships

Own and rationalise the Foundation's enterprise technology environment, reducing duplication, point solutions and manual work while improving integration, usability, resilience and scalability.
Own workplace technology, enterprise applications, integrations and collaboration capabilities that enable a globally distributed organisation and its partners to operate effectively.
Establish architecture, procurement and vendor management standards appropriate to long-term technology lifecycles.
Lead strategic technology relationships with publishers, cloud and AI providers, broadcasters and media technology partners.
Ensure security, data protection and residency requirements are embedded by design while maintaining appropriate segregation of duties with independent cybersecurity and compliance functions.
Ensure major technology initiatives have clear business ownership, measurable outcomes and executive visibility.

Education And Experience

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or equivalent professional experience.
15+ years of experience across technology, digital platforms, enterprise systems, data or engineering, including significant senior/executive leadership experience overseeing complex technology environments and transformation.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Significant executive leadership experience in technology-enabled businesses or complex operational environments.
Proven ability to use technology, data, and digital capabilities to drive growth, scalability, and business transformation.
Strong understanding of live events, media, production, content, distribution, audiences and commercial operations.
Demonstrated business accountability within environments such as live events, media, production, distribution, audiences, commercial operations or international operations.
Experience building scalable technology capabilities across multiple products, markets, programmes or events.
Experience driving practical AI and automation adoption focused on productivity, workflow improvement and decision quality.
Strong commercial judgement, including technology investment, vendor management and build/buy/partner decisions.
Proven ability to build and lead a lean core technology capability, effectively orchestrating specialist teams, vendors and strategic partners, with strong executive stakeholder management and communication skills.

Benefits

Relocation support
Transportation allowance
Competitive compensation
Housing allowance
VIP medical insurance
Opportunity to work on a new exciting project with a group of passionate professionals. You will get the freedom to excel and make a real impact

Diversity disclaimer

Our mission is to build a diverse organization where our members, regardless of background or identity, have a sense of belonging. We genuinely believe that thanks to creating a collaborative environment where different perspectives are valued, we can achieve more. Together, we want to reshape the boundaries of what is achievable in the esports domain.