Riot Games announced today that esports leader Carlos Antunes has been named the Head of League of Legends Esports for the Americas. Antunes brings nearly a decade of esports experience and a successful track record leading professional League of Legends leagues in Brazil (CBLOL/Campeonato Brasileiro de League of Legends) and Latin America (LLA/Liga Latinoamérica ) to his new role.
Antunes now oversees the entire League of Legends esports ecosystem for North America, Latin America, and Brazil, adding the League Championship Series (LCS) in the U.S. to his purview. Reporting to Raul Fernandez, Head of Esports for the Americas, and Naz Aletaha, Global Head of LoL Esports, he will lead the strategy and execution of the LoL Esports ecosystem in the Americas. He will prioritize identifying and securing a [new Commissioner][1] to help lead the LCS. Antunes will relocate from Brazil to Riot Games’ headquarters in Los Angeles.
“I’ve had the opportunity to see Antunes develop into one of Riot’s most creative, innovative, and successful esports leaders, spearheading incredible growth at CBLOL and spurring excitement around our Latin America league as well,” said Raul Fernandez, Head of Esports for the Americas at Riot Games. “He’s incredibly focused on what works well for players, and both LCS teams and pro players will benefit from his sure-handed approach to our league businesses.”
“Carlos’ passion for League is palpable, his commitment and empathy for players, teams, and partners is unwavering, and his track record speaks for itself,” said Naz Aletaha, Global Head of LoL Esports at Riot Games. "I’m thrilled that the LCS and the entire Americas LoL Esports ecosystem will be able to benefit from his leadership and a unified strategy focused on growth, fandom, and delivering the best of League to the community across the region."
Antunes joined Riot in 2016 as the Head of Esports for Brazil where he oversaw the strategic direction of the region’s entire esports portfolio including operations, business development, content, and broadcast. Antunes has played an integral role in the development of CBLOL, which has seen continuous viewership and revenue growth year-over-year since 2018. He has led strategic partnerships and business development initiatives with notable partners such as Gillette, Mastercard, Red Bull, Santander, Heineken, and Nestlé. In addition to his contributions to CBLOL, Antunes has worked closely with the LoL Esports leadership team to strategically support the LLA and the LCS over the last six months.
"It's been an incredible honor to be a part of Riot Games and the esports community,” said Antunes. "Over the past several years, being close to players, teams, and fans has been immensely gratifying, especially in contributing to the growth of leagues that unite our passionate community. As I transition into my new role, I am committed to exploring new ways to deliver sports and entertainment to our community across the Americas."
Before Riot, Antunes worked as a leader in Digital Strategy across multiple agencies including DM9DDB, Artplan/Gruda, GEO Eventos, and Esporte Interativo. He’s a graduate of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro with a Bachelor in Chemical Engineering and a Master of Science in Philosophy from Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. In pursuit of his passion around storytelling and content, Antunes also graduated from the Los Angeles Film School and Academia Internacional de Cinema.
[1]: https://www.riotgames.com/en/work-with-us/job/5304880?gh_jid=5304880
