Kim Phan

ESports super fan, a trailblazer for women in technology and online producer, Kim Phan is the former Director of eSports Operations for world-renowned Blizzard Entertainment (Blizzard). A career path lead by passion is what makes Kim Phan a pleasure to listen to as she has worked hard to be able to do what she loves every day, an aspirational lifestyle for many.

As the Director of ESport Operations Kim used her experienced knowledge of the community to drive her decisions when creating strategy and initiatives across all franchises. Kim has worked hard for the duration of her career to respond to the desires of fans. In her thirteen years at Blizzard Entertainment, Kim has ensured that the company is at the center of eSports. Kim’s work has put Blizzard ahead of the game, in producing challenging and fun games such as Starcraft, Warcraft 3 and Heroes of the Storm. She is also responsible for the eSports events held every year at BizzCon.

Prior to working at Blizzard, Kim was a software engineer with a passion for eSports. In her spare time, she ran a popular fansite for WarCraft 3, managed a professional team and was heavily involved in the community through commentating and shoutcasting. In 2005, her commitment to the industry saw her noticed by Blizzard. They asked her to commentate on their Warcraft 3 tournament and provide coverage of games on her site for Blizzcon. The rest was history, and Kim Phan proved invaluable, for the next thirteen years, to developing the future of eSports and putting Blizzard Entertainment at the forefront of its progression.

In 2019 Kim announced her departure from Blizzard to pursue a career with 160over90 leading gaming and eSports strategy for a variety of clients. As an expert, she was also invited to speak at the IGCE eSports Deep Dive event in California where she demonstrated her ability to engage an audience through thoughtful discussions. A key topic Kim elaborates on is the evolution of the acceptance of women in what was previously considered a man’s world.

Kim’s perspective is refreshing with regards to gender in the industry. You are unlikely to find a powerful woman with such passion for eSports and providing a quality gaming experience for players that speaks as eloquently as Kim Phan. After an evening with Kim, you will come away inspired by her ambition and with a new level of appreciation for the eSports industry.