Charlie Cowdrey Named CEO of JioBLAST as BLAST Expands Deeper into Indian Esports

Charlie Cowdrey, the new CEO of Jio BLAST, HQ in Mumbai. Starting from September. (Image Credit: BLAST)

Charlie Cowdrey has officially been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of JioBLAST, the joint esports venture between BLAST and RISE, a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited.

With this new role, Cowdrey will relocate from London to Mumbai in September 2025 to oversee the venture’s operations across India.

Cowdrey has been with BLAST for over four years, most recently serving as the Program Director for Fortnite and Rocket League.

Before that, he climbed through the ranks at BLAST as Chief of Staff and Head of Publisher Partnerships, building relationships with top publishers and fine-tuning large-scale esports initiatives.

His background also includes nearly four years at Deloitte London, giving him a solid foundation in business strategy and financial management. It’s this unique blend of corporate acumen and esports experience that now positions him to lead JioBLAST’s ambitious mission in India.

The timing of his appointment coincides with BLAST’s broader global expansion efforts. In April, the company announced its strategic partnership with RISE, which marked a major push into the Indian market. Since then, BLAST has launched a state-of-the-art production studio and corporate offices in Mumbai, setting the groundwork for JioBLAST to offer full-spectrum esports services — including tournament operations, marketing, and live broadcast production.

Speaking about his new role, Cowdrey said he was “honoured and excited” to spearhead the venture, highlighting the fusion of “Jio’s unmatched reach, RISE’s commercial capabilities, and BLAST’s esports expertise.” He further added that this combination has the potential to “supercharge the Indian esports industry.”

The new venture is already making moves. According to reports, recruitment has begun for six key positions in Mumbai. These hires will play an integral role in establishing the operational and creative blueprint for JioBLAST, with a focus on delivering international-quality events while also nurturing local talent.

India’s esports ecosystem is massive but still fragmented. The country is home to over 600 million gamers, making up roughly 18% of the global gaming population. Despite these numbers, the scene has struggled with consistent league structures and high-quality productions. That’s precisely where JioBLAST aims to step in, by not only creating new esports IPs but also offering end-to-end services that span from tournament logistics to publisher relations and broadcast content.

JioBLAST will also lean heavily into mobile-first gaming, which dominates India’s gaming scene, and plans to integrate esports experiences with JioGames, Reliance’s gaming platform. This could open doors for fan engagement on a national scale, tailored to the preferences and habits of Indian players.

Outside of India, BLAST continues to grow its international footprint. In May, the organization opened a new office in New York City and has already hosted major events like the Counter-Strike 2 Austin Major and the Fortnite Pro-Am in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Europe remains a key focus as well, with world championships for Fortnite and Rocket League scheduled for Lyon, France in September.