Koen Schobbers – Leading Global Expert and Entrepreneur

Koen Schobbers is a leading global expert and entrepreneur in the gaming and esports industry and is an outstanding, engaging and down-to-earth keynote speaker looking to educate, activate and inspire his audience.

He became a professional gamer at the age of 15, but the relationship with his mother was very difficult as a result.

He later used this experience to found Parents of Play to help parents with the relationship with their gaming children and train professionals on how to deal with gaming children.

The concept is based around his specific models and guidelines which are now used globally. Koen is also the author of a book titled ‘My Gaming Child’ in which he answers the 50 most common questions he has been asked by parents.

He spoke at TED in 2019 about how to (re)connect with gaming children.

Koen is a board member and vice chair of the Athletes, Players & Community Commission of the Global Esports Federation (GEF).

The Global Esports Federation has over 140 partnerships including UNESCO, the WHO, Microsoft and over 125 member federations.

Koen also founded Koenz, a company helping businesses to implement the gaming and esports industry in their strategies and campaigns.

Some organizations Koenz has worked with include Vodafone, Spinnin’ Records, Populous, KIA and Acer.

Koen is highly revered and he has been covered in over 300 media outlets since 2014.

Between 2016 and 2020, he was also the anchorman of an esports show broadcasted on ESPN.

He was the Dutch Champion in Trackmania between 2011 and 2016 and was 3rd at the World Championships in 2013.

Koen Schobbers’s Speaking Topics

Survival in ever-changing environments: lessons from the gaming industry

A company’s ability to adapt to its environment plays an important role in sustaining or achieving a prosperous future for the organization.

The gaming industry as a whole has continuously adapted to its environment for over half a century and is now reaping the benefits: exponential growth.

Lessons learned from the gaming industry can be incorporated in organizations to connect with younger audiences and attract talent.

This in turn supports the organization with business and people sustainability, helping them to achieve a prosperous future.

Building unbreakable relationships with net-savvy gaming children

Screens and gaming: it’s the #1 hobby of many children… The #1 parenting problem for many parents… And the #1 annoyance of many professionals.

Koen will introduce you to his own models and guidelines that are used by parents and professionals across the globe to build unbreakable relationships.

These models and guidelines provide you with practical tools to strengthen, maintain or restore the relationship with children, and to keep or bring children into a healthy balance.

The Gamewell Plate and the Hierarchy of Gaming Psychology

• Why do games have such a strong appeal?
• What is ‘conscious gaming’, ‘balanced gaming’ or ‘healthy gaming’?
• How can we ensure that a healthy balance is maintained?
• What are the risks if we do not?
• And, if not, how do we help someone to get back into a healthy routine?

Opportunities and trends within the industry

The world of gaming and esports is a breeding ground for innovation, supported by a powerful community that is strongly connected through all online possibilities.
With new heroes, new games and new technological developments, this industry is set to play a very important role in what’s to come.

Introduction to the gaming and esports industry

The gaming and esports industry has taken the world by storm. Where does this industry come from?
What is this industry about?
How does it work?
And why is it growing exponentially?

The Virtuous Five of Personal Development

Koen will take you on a bumpy ride through his career in which he quickly noticed that certain key behavioral characteristics, combined with the right step-by-step approach, led to great results for people and organizations.

Based on his insights and experiences, he created the Virtuous Five model.

He has been teaching this model to individuals and organizations and has used it himself to find success in different fields.

Give your audience the opportunity to step into a virtuous cycle and stimulate continuous personal development, increase motivation and teamwork, and create a positive impact on the business