North American organization DarkZero Esports have named former TSM director of esports operations Don Kim as their new CEO, sources have told Dexerto.
Based out of Las Vegas in the U.S., DarkZero have concentrated strongly on Rainbow Six Siege since they acquired the former roster of SK Gaming in November 2018.
They’ve made a new hire to take on the mantle of CEO and make major decisions, manage the org’s operations, and lead them into the future.
Don Kim, most recently serving as director of esports operations at another North American organization, TSM, will serve as DarkZero’s new CEO, according to sources.
Since leaving Harvard University in 2016 after serving as a researcher for two years, Kim has worked in gaming and esports. He started out working in partnerships at mobile gaming competition platform Skillz and transitioned to a marketing role before leaving to join TSM and sister company Blitz as director of operations in late 2018.
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Kim will take over the role of CEO from Zach Matula, a private equity investor who has previously worked as a trader at companies like BP and the founder of DarkZero.
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The team are best known for winning the tenth season of the Rainbow Six Siege Pro League for North America in 2019, finishing second in the Pro League grand final of the same year, and also emerging victorious in the North American division of the Rainbow Six Major in August 2020.
Introducing DarkZero VALORANT!
It's with great pleasure we announce our entrance into @PlayVALORANT
We're super excited to enter VALORANT, and we can't wait to field this talented roster!@HarmonVAL1@andersin_val@ScrewFaceVAL@Ange_AMIL@KOLER1337Coach:@huuawcoach pic.twitter.com/5BedZhjq8l
— DarkZero (@DarkZeroGG) June 24, 2021
They entered a second title in June 2021 when they signed ‘Kooky Koalos’ in Riot Games’ shooter Valorant. They’re yet to replicate the same success they’ve seen over the years in Siege, however.
On the commercial front, DarkZero own the second-largest share of Raven, a UK-based esports merchandise company, and hold partnerships with Resorts World Las Vegas, gaming furniture manufacturers RESPAWN, and training software company Aim Lab.