Adam Pliska, the CEO of World Poker Tour, is to continue in the post for a further four years, owners owner Ourgame International Holdings confirmed in a media statement Tuesday.
Pliska has been at the helm of WPT for the past nine years, having originally joined the company as general counsel in 2003, and has successfully continued the development of the business through some trying times and major changes for the industry.
Pliska is responsible for the entire WPT portfolio, including live events, televised broadcasts, international distribution, online products/services, and strategic partnerships.
At a time when many thought poker tournaments were on a decline, Pliska restored growth to WPT – and the industry as a whole – by expanding the company’s footprint, delivering significant partnership deals, and fostering budding relationships with other gaming sites worldwide. Within five years of becoming CEO, WPT expanded from 14 to 70 tournaments and currently has a presence in more than 150 countries and territories. With content now airing in five continents, WPT connects more than 100 million viewers worldwide through its online and television broadcasts.
Pliska was key in orchestrating the sale of WPT in 2009 to bwin.party digital entertainment plc for $12.3 million, and then only six years later, he directed the sale of WPT to Ourgame for $35 million – nearly tripling the value of the company.
“Adam Pliska’s tremendous leadership, successful track record, and proven strategic vision make him the perfect individual to continue to guide WPT Enterprises into the future,” said Frank Ng, CEO of Ourgame. “Adam has undoubtedly taken the company to new heights through expansion of the WPT brand into new and emerging markets, continued development and innovation in the digital gaming space, and unparalleled sustainability of gaming’s premier television product.”
“I look forward to building on the successful strategies that have allowed the World Poker Tour to continue to raise the bar of our industry,” Pliska responded.. “I believe we have only begun to unlock the full potential of the WPT.”
Among his many social responsibility achievements, Pliska can point to the WPT Foundation created in 2012. The 501(c)(3) charitable organisation is dedicated to utilising World Poker Tour’s unique global platform to influence positive change on a global scale. To date, the WPT Foundation has raised more than $11 million to benefit nearly 30 global philanthropic organizations, including Tiger Woods Foundation, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), and Education Reform Now.
During his tenure as CEO Pliska has worked with some of business’s biggest names through developed partnerships with both network and commercial sponsors, including big brands like Fox Sports, Hublot, Dr Pepper, and JetSmarter. Most recently, WPT added Zynga, the social gaming giant, to its roster. Currently, Pliska is working to merge the world of poker and eSports, in partnership with sister company Allied Esports.