Mathews returns as COO at Esports Entertainment
Mathews was previously chief financial officer of EEG from April 2022 to December 2022 and also served as COO for a number of months.
He stepped down from both roles in December but remained as a member of EEG’s board, a position he has held since June 2020.
Prior to his time with EEG, Mathews was group COO at Auckland Real Estate and also spent time as CFO at sovereign wealth fund the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Investment Company.
Mathews’ other roles included director for NZ Pacific Investments, general manager finance at ASB Bank, director of product control for ABN AMRO and financial controller at RBS.
In addition, Mathews served in a number of senior positions with Commonwealth Bank and Credit Suisse.
“Damian previously served as CFO from April 2022 and was subsequently appointed COO in June 2022, until his resignation from these roles in December 2022,” said Alex Igelman, who was appointed chief executive of EEG in January.
“Despite his departure, he continued to serve as a dedicated member of the board where he felt he could have the greatest impact. In his prior, albeit short tenure as COO/CFO, he played an integral role in streamlining the company’s operations and advocating for critical changes within the organisation.
“Importantly, his decision to re-join the team reflects his complete alignment with the new direction of the company and the promising future of the esports industry.”
Dramatic turnaround
Mathews added: “Since leaving my position as CFO/COO in December, and in my ongoing role as a member of the board, I have witnessed first-hand the dramatic turnaround, led by Alex, in just a few short months.
“I could not be more confident in the new leadership and direction of the company and look forward to playing a key role in driving the financial and operational success of the company.
“The esports and igaming industries are experiencing rapid growth and I truly believe EEG is now ideally positioned with the right assets at the right time, with the right leadership and business model to establish a dominant position in this rapidly emerging market.”