BLAST has appointed Anne Banschbach as Programme Director for Valve Ecosystems and Development, where she will oversee the company’s Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) and Dota 2 tournament series, BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam.
The announcement follows initial news earlier this year of her joining the organisation.
Banschbach joins from Team Vitality, where she spent four years as Director of Esports, helping guide the organisation to a third-place finish in the Esports World Cup Club Championship 2025. She also previously worked with G2 Esports.
In her new role, she will shape the strategic direction of BLAST’s Valve operations, strengthen ties with partners and teams, and take on a more public-facing role within the esports community.
“I’m excited to be joining BLAST to lead Premier and Slam as well as new projects,” said Banschbach. “BLAST already has a strong product, but I think we can communicate and interact with the community more.”
Andrew Haworth, SVP Ecosystems at BLAST, described the hire as a “biggest signing” for the company, adding: “I could think of no better person than Anne for this task.”
Her first events in the role will be BLAST Slam IV in Singapore (7–9 November) and BLAST Premier in Hong Kong (12–16 November), closing out the 2025 Rivals circuit.
BLAST continues to expand its global footprint, with offices in Copenhagen, London and Berlin, and new locations planned for Mumbai and New York.
