Speaker Profile

Johanna Faries serves as Senior Vice President/General Manager of Call of Duty, for one of the biggest gaming and entertainment brands in the world and the #1 selling console gaming franchise in the U.S. for more than a decade. As SVP/General Manager, Faries oversees all aspects of the Call of Duty business, including live operations and franchise-wide strategy.

Since joining Activision Blizzard in 2018, Faries led the company’s esports leagues division, including the formation and management of the global city-based Call of Duty League, which includes professional teams in 12 cities across four countries featuring the best Call of Duty players in the world and dedicated amateur competition systems. In its inaugural season, the Call of Duty League hit several major milestones, including its Championship Weekend becoming the most-watched esports event in franchise history.

A graduate of Harvard University, Faries has been named one of Variety500 Business Leaders and Variety Entertainment Gaming Leaders Class of 2022, one of the Most Powerful Women in Sports by both Sports Illustrated and Adweek, one of SportsPro’s Top 10 Influencers in 2020, as well as one of FORTUNE’s 40 Under 40 most influential business leaders. She serves on the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission Advisory Board and speaks at a wide range of established conferences, summits, and other industry events.

Faries is a sports industry veteran, having served 12 years at the National Football League at its League Office Headquarters in New York City. While at the NFL, Faries held a number of leadership roles across marketing, league initiative strategy, fan and business development, sponsorship sales, and consumer products. As Vice President of Club Business Development at the National Football League, Faries interfaced closely with NFL team owners and presidents to bolster their local businesses year-round, and played a key role in launching the NFL’s first of its kind ticketing network.

Throughout her career, Faries has held executive positions in a broad range of diversity and inclusion and career development and mentorship programs, and continues to do so as Executive Champion of Activision Blizzard’s Black Employee Network. Faries grew up a multisport athlete and currently resides with her husband and sons in Los Angeles, CA.