The Team

Smart Cities Digital Solutions

Smart Cities are designed to drive economic growth through harnessing technology that leads to smart outcomes.

The strategy will help local area development and improve the quality of life for its citizens.

EDF can help cities understand the benefits to citizens of esports enabled solutions and assist in the master planning.

Digital Infrastructure Investments

Digital infrastructure is a necessary component to a healthy economy and life of every nation.

These services include capable servers, broadband and mobile infrastructure, Cloud computing and IT services that enable technology solutions such as blockchain and the IoT (Internet of Things).

EDF can facilitate partners to access global capital to ensure that projects are funded.

Esports and Digital Infrastructure Consultancy

The key to a successful esports strategy roll out is ensuring that the appropriate digital infrastructure is in place.

This infrastructure creates the foundation for stable competitive gameplay, immerses fans and creates an environment that publishers, tournament organisers and fans can engage with. While providing critical Digital transformation infrastructure at the same time.

EDF can provide advice on all aspects of digital hardware and IT infrastructure.

Education Skills and Entrepreneurship

To be successful and sustainable esports needs to be underpinned with a fully integrated education and skills development strategy, which delivers inclusivity, gender equality and social upliftment.

Supported by the right investment and social policies, this will create the pathways for the future, entrepreneurs, player talent pools and workforce. Successfully uplifting and sustaining communities.

EDF has a number of specialist vocational and academic partners who can develop accredited educational programmes. EDF also has investment partners that can fund start up and scale up organisations to become the next employers.

Grassroots Development

Developing an inclusive grassroots esports ecosystem is critical for any nation looking to build a sustainable esports strategy.

EDF can help shape your country’s esports strategy and build it with you to the strengths of your nation. This will include developing a formal national association/federation body, engaging with the Global Esports Federation, publishers and key stakeholders. Ensuring you have the appropriate physical and digital infrastructure and creating pathways for talent.

EDF can help create and deliver best practice for online safeguarding and data protection for playing and working in esports.

H.E. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, Advisory Board

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has been the Managing Director of the Centre International de Développement Pharmaceutique (CIDP) Research and Innovation as well as Professor of Organic Chemistry with an endowed chair at the University of Mauritius. Since 2001, she has served successively as Dean of the Faculty of Science and Pro Vice Chancellor (2004- 2010). She has also worked at the Mauritius Research Council as Manager for Research (1995-1997). Ms Gurib-Fakim earned a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Surrey (1983) and a PhD from the University of Exeter, UK (1987). During her academic journey, she has participated in several consultation meetings on environmental issues organized by international organizations. Between 2011-2013, she was elected and served as Chairperson of the International Council for Scientific Union – Regional Office for Africa, and served as an Independent Director on the Board of Barclays Bank of Mauritius Ltd between (2012-2015). As a Founding Member of the Pan African Association of African Medicinal Plants, she co-authored the first ever African Herbal Pharmacopoeia. She has authored and co-edited 30 books, several book chapters and scientific articles in the field of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. She has lectured extensively across the world; is a Member of the Editorial Boards of major journals, has served on Technical and national committees in various capacities. Elevated to the Order of the Commander of the Star and Key by the Government of Mauritius in 2008, she has been admitted to the Order of the Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Palmes Academiques by the Government of France in 2010 and is the recipient of 5 DSc (s). Elected Fellow of several academies and societies, Ms Gurib-Fakim received several international prizes including the 2007 l’Oreal-UNESCO Prize for Women in Science, the African Union Commission Award for Women in Science, 2009.

On 05 June 2015, she was sworn in as the 6th President and the First Female President of the Republic of Mauritius and served in that capacity until March 2018.

She was elevated to the Order of GCSK by the Government of Mauritius, and received the Legion d’Honneur from the Government of France in 2016. In 2017, she received both the lifelong achievement award of the United States Pharmacopoeia-CePat Award and the American Botanical Council Norman Farnsworth Excellence in Botanical Research Award. In 2018, she received the Order of St George at the Semperopernball, Dresden, Germany. In 2019, she received the ‘Trailblazing award for political leadership’ by the World Women Leaders Council in Iceland.

In June 2016, she was in the Forbes List for the 100 ‘Most Powerful women in the world’ and 1st among the Top 100 Women in Africa Forbes List 2017, 2019. She is honoured as one of Foreign Policy’s 2015 Global Thinkers.

Simon Woolley, Trustee

Simon’s career has been a tale of two halves, straddling both professional services and investment. From the outset he pursued roles that placed him directly in the inner workings of large scale investment projects, starting as an intern and eventually leading as a strategic advisor to his Clients, getting to work on projects from government ministerial programmes, large public/private infrastructure projects, sovereign venture capital funds, international development agency projects, to domestic public and private companies across a spectrum of briefs ranging from corporate advisor, investigator, administrator, board appointee, to partner.

Separately, he co-founded a boutique investment firm focused upon early stage impact opportunities and strategic acquisitions, which now includes in its portfolio, Africa’s leading esports brand, the rights to the African leg of the only global GT3 Series and the only international race to be hosted in Africa in the last three decades, a niche insurance assistance firm, and a portfolio of services companies.

Simon continues to divide his time between advising his Clients and managing the various investments under his stewardship, along with spending as much time as he can with his family and love for sport, wine and good food.

Ban Farrell, Trustee

Ban Farrell is a multilingual and accomplished entrepreneur with over 30 years’ experience in business development, project management, and strategic funding. Ban is also a passionate environmentalist with a keen interest in sustainable development and a drive to seek renewable energy solutions to global issues.

Ban’s extensive collaboration with a number of international NGOs and universities is testament to her skills in negotiation and her passion for sustainability. At present, she is an ongoing advisor to the Indus Earth Trust in Pakistan; a not-for-profit organisation working in sustainable development and food security in coastal areas. Through her close partnership with the University of Pretoria, Ban has been instrumental in the development of their Energy Efficiency Plan. There she also took part in a multi-disciplinary team that was tasked with setting up the university’s Environmental department for the Business Enterprises in 2011. She is a board advisor for various international corporations, and has advised the board of directors of 25 women-led NGOs in South Africa on matters of skills development and women empowerment since 2012.

The mentorship of women and young people has been a matter close to Ban’s heart throughout her career. In the years 2002 and 2003 she was a Student Mentor for youth with learning difficulties at the Prince’s Trust in the UK. During this time, she also assisted 400 young people with training for NVQ levels 3 and 4 through the Department for Business, Innovation, and Skills. In South Africa, Ban has provided 95 female entrepreneurs with energy efficiency, enterprise, and skills development workshops. She has also co-sponsored 1260 grade 11 and 12 students from disadvantaged backgrounds to attend training and workshops led by academics and sector specialists focusing on skills development and mental health.

Ban holds an M.Sc. In Environmental Management from the University of Hertfordshire, and her dedication to sustainable initiatives is demonstrated through her sponsorship, investment, and establishment of various inner-city environmental projects and corporate social initiatives.

She is an investor in Fintech, Disruptive Technology Solutions, Smart Cities, and has been involved in establishing and developing several companies focusing on Sustainable Development, Impact Investing and Environmental and Energy Training and Solutions. In 2015, she led a team of Financial, Business and IT specialists and collaborated with the South African Automotive Industry to research and develop a pioneering multi-million Rand hybrid funding model in support of their skills development and artisan training requirements.

Having lived in five continents and worked in several countries, Ban has gained first-hand insights into various cultures, and has thus developed a thoroughly global mindset. This insight combined with her multilingualism, entrepreneurial skills, and integrity when working with others have been key in her negotiation of government initiatives. She supported and coordinated the participation of the delegation of the government of Iraq in the United Nations Climate Change Conference that took place in Durban, South Africa in 2011. She has also advised the Chief Economist of the City of Tshwane (Pretoria), South Africa, from 2013 until 2019.

Chester King, Trustee

Chester is the founder and CEO of the British Esports Association, the national body for esports in the UK. The Chair is Andy Payne, OBE and Vice-Chair is The Rt. Hon Ed Vaizey MP (former Minister of Culture).

The UK Government (The Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP) gave authority for it to be established in January 2016. It is an independent, not-for-profit, organisation whose main aims are to help develop the UK’s grassroots esports scene and provide an infrastructure to nurture future British talent.

British Esports started the UK’s national schools esports championships in 2018 competing in: League of Legends, Overwatch and Rocket League. British Esports is supporting esports education in schools. www.britishesports.org

Chester spoke at the inaugural International Olympics Committee’s Esports Forum in Lausanne in July 2018. He was appointed a member of the IOC’s ‘Esports and Gaming Liaison Group’ in January 2019 (the only person from the UK).

In September 2019 Chester became an advisor and co-investor in the UK’s Call of Duty League franchise, the London Royal Ravens.
www.royalravens.gg

In December 2019 Chester became a member of the board of the Global Esports Federation (GEF). In April 2020 Chester was made Chair of GEF’s Education, Culture and Wellness Commission, and a member of the technical and membership commissions. GEF’s founding global partner is Tencent.
www.globalesports.org

In June 2020 Chester became an advisor and co-investor in Resolve Esports.
www.resolve.gg

Background
After studying A levels at Stowe School, Chester gained a BSc Hons degree in Business Studies and Sport Science (majoring in marketing and biomechanics) in 1993 from Roehampton University.

Since then Chester has gained senior management experience within the advertising, marketing, healthcare, esports, sports and leisure industries. He is an expert in esports education and management, lifestyle and healthcare sales, marketing, branding, events, operations and customer experience.

Chester started his working life in the advertising industry working with clients such as Renault and Sainsburys.

He worked at Wembley Stadium from 2004 to 2017 as the Bobby Moore Club Ambassador and created the marketing strategy which saw sales of £65 million in seat debentures.

From 2010 to 2014 he was a member of the Advisory Board of the Jaguar Academy of Sport assisting Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) on their marketing.

Chester also currently holds the following positions:
Global Board Director and co-owner of the International Group of companies (established in 1964). IG companies include; Stoke Park, International Group Management (IGM) and International Hospitals Group (IHG).

Founded by the King family in 1978, IHG is one of the most experienced international healthcare services company in the world. IHG has completed over 480 projects in 52 countries around the world for private and public sector clients including 24 national Governments.
(www.ihg.co.uk).

Stoke Park is the UK’s leading 5 AA Red Star Country Club, Spa and Hotel. Chester and his family purchased the historic estate in 1988, which was the UK’s first Country Club (1908) and have transformed it into the multi award-winning business it is today.
(www.stokepark.com)

Since 2002 he has co-organised and hosted The Boodles tennis at Stoke Park, a unique event. A fun English garden party atmosphere, with world-class tennis being played in intimate and beautiful surroundings which year on year attracts the world’s best players as they finalise their preparations for Wimbledon including Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray.
(www.theboodles.com )

LinkedIn profile: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/chesterking