Esport and entertainment publisher Gamurs Group appoints Geraint Davies COO

The esports and entertainment media network Gamurs Group has appointed Geraint Davies as chief operating officer.

The newly created role will see Davies take on a leadership position managing the operations of Gamurs effective immediately, crafting and leading the strategic direction of the company.

Davies has over three decades of experience in the media business, most recently as COO of iHeartRadio in Australia and previously as the COO at ARN, Southern Cross Austereo, Horizon Media and APN Outdoor.

Davies will report to Gamurs’ chief executive officer Riad Chikhani. Davies’ appointment follows another year of growth for the media company, which Chikhani founded in 2014.

Gamurs Group: Riad Chikhani CEO & Geraint Davies COO

Chikhani said that Davies brings a wealth of experience to Gamurs as it continues its pursuit to redefine gaming and entertainment media around the world from its Sydney headquarters.

“The Gamurs Group is at a pivotal stage of growth and it is the perfect time to bring on someone with Geraint’s experience. His background in media of all genres – including cinema, outdoor, and audio – spans an impressive 30 plus years,” Chikhani said.

“We have quickly moved from a small media offering to a multi-mast head operator, with a reach that has grown from serving nine million readers to over 40 million in under two years. We are growing at a rapid rate and gaining Geraint will in turn help with our expansion, but also with our existing staff, giving them an opportunity to grow with the business, which is what is most exciting to me,” he added.

The rock 'n' roll years at iHeartRadio – Geraint Davies and Brett 'Nozz' Nossiter

Davies said: “I am delighted to join Gamurs Group at such an exciting time in its development. The lines between computer games, movies, sports and entertainment are rapidly merging. With a powerhouse of online brands in each of these sectors, the group is ideally positioned to continue its fast profit growth and global audience reach.”

Over recent years, Gamurs has made a number of acquisitions including We Got This Covered and Pro Game Guides joining Dot Esports, TouchTapPlay and Gamepur.

The recent acquisitions added a depth of coverage to Gamurs’ portfolio, with 40 million monthly users across its publishing sites generating more than 100 million content views.

A new report by Accenture estimates the gaming industry generated over $412 billion in revenue last year, eclipsing television and music with esports now a multibillion-dollar industry.

See also: Five years of iHeartRadio Australia