Esports team Immortals Founder NOAH WHINSTON has left his job as CEO to become Exec Chair. Immortals President & COO ARI SEGAL succeeds him in the top management role. Whinston founded the team in '15 and has emerged as one of the best-known execs in the rapidly growing industry. He has secured several major investors, including AEG and Lionsgate, and landed a charter franchise in the Overwatch League under the team name L.A. Valiant. Segal joined in October '17 after a stint as Coyotes COO. Whinston said the change will allow him to spend all of his time building the Immortals brand, communicating with fans, evangelizing for the industry and helping develop the broader esports ecosystem, while also letting Segal run the shop. “I have so much faith and trust in Ari around his ability to not just execute strategy, but his ability to develop it on its own,” Whinston said. “Giving him that added level of autonomy is important to me, and the board.” Immortals BOD member PETER LEVIN said Segal was hired with the intention of eventually making him the CEO. “Noah will be no less involved than he is now, it will just be in a more forward-leaning, outward messaging role,” Levin said.
