JioBLAST Opens Mumbai Office as CEO Relocates from London

A joint venture between Reliance Jio, Denmark's BLAST Esports and RISE Worldwide formally opened its Mumbai operations Monday, with Chief Executive Charlie Cowdrey relocating from London to lead the Indian esports push.

The venture, called JioBLAST, began operations Oct. 6 after Cowdrey's appointment was announced in July, three months after the deal closed in April. The company has been recruiting for six senior positions to support operations, though neither Jio nor BLAST have disclosed the hires.

"Bringing this all together, there is no doubt that JioBLAST will supercharge the Indian esports industry," Cowdrey said when his appointment was announced.

The launch represents a bet on India's competitive gaming sector, with the partners aiming to elevate esports into a major entertainment category. Jio brings its distribution network, the JioGames platform and access to roughly 480 million users. BLAST contributes its tournament intellectual property, publisher relationships with companies including Epic Games, Riot Games, Valve, KRAFTON and Ubisoft, and production expertise.

JioBLAST: Structure & Strategy

The joint venture was formed through an INR 500 million ($6 million) equity subscription in April, converting a wholly owned RISE subsidiary into a 50-50 partnership with BLAST. The Mumbai office will provide publishing and marketing support, production and broadcast services, and tournament operations.

India's gaming market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of about 19% to $9.2 billion by 2029 from $3.8 billion in 2024, according to industry estimates. The government has recognized gaming and esports under its sports promotion framework and is supporting growth through partnerships, investments and marketing initiatives.

With India accounting for roughly 18% of the world's gamers, global publishers including GMG and Steam are pursuing the market with localized pricing and partnership deals. JioBLAST plans to capitalize on the momentum by launching skill-based gaming competitions and new esports tournaments targeting Generation Z gamers.