Business development · Esports & gaming · Brussels, open to Europe
Thomas Gottignies
Years in sales and marketing, then a Master's in esport management and gaming. Not a fan looking for a way in — a commercial operator who chose this industry on purpose.
since 2019Sales consultingSmart Service Network — freelance
2020 – 2024Bachelor, MarketingEPHEC, Brussels
2024 – 2026Retail salesGeox — alongside my Master's
2026 · 6 monthsEsport Management & GamingItti Sports Institute — completed July 2026
2026Open to workBusiness development & partnerships
Selected work
Three commercial projects from my Master's. Each was built as a real pitch — the briefs, the research and the numbers are genuine work; the client relationships are simulated. Use the arrows or your keyboard to move through each deck.
Academic project · Sponsorship pitch · Solo
Clutchain × Nalu
Role — Sales Director (simulated)
"Stop paying for a logo. Start paying for results."
Pitching a Belgian energy drink on a full-year sponsorship of an esports org. I picked a local brand on purpose — the offer had to be cheap enough to enter and measurable enough to renew. The deck names the four ways esports sponsorship usually fails and structures the deal to avoid each, built around one asset no rival org has: a five-person gaming capsule with a branded fridge inside.
"Survive the Wild" — in-game survival unlocks real outdoor gear.
A limited-time collaboration between a mobile battle royale and an outdoor brand, argued commercially rather than on taste. Every choice is backed with data: PUBG Mobile over PC on reach, YETI over Stanley on thematic fit. The money is structured as a value exchange — a royalty to YETI on co-branded cosmetics instead of a flat fee — so both partners want the same outcome.
A healthier energy drink entering esports through a Tier 2 event.
A sponsorship case putting HOLY — a low-sugar energy drink — behind Draculan, a Tier 2 Counter-Strike event in Romania. The argument is a cost-to-impact one: a Tier 2 event gives exposure to top teams and an international audience at a fraction of Tier 1 saturation and price, while opening a specific regional market.
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Commercial experience
Sales, marketing and customer service across four roles — carrying a target and running campaigns before I ever built a deck about either.
2024 – 2026
Sales Assistant
Geox · Belgium
Face-to-face selling and personalised advice against sales objectives, while completing my Master's
Upselling, cash operations and stock management; contributing to customer satisfaction and store image
2023 – 2024
Marketing & Customer Service
Luminette · Belgium
Ran the marketing communication channels — social media, newsletters, website — and created the content for them
Handled customer support and analysed campaign performance and feedback
2023
Audiovisual Marketing Intern
Qualifio · Belgium
Produced and edited promotional video content (Adobe Premiere Pro) to promote products and services
Optimised content for social media and digital channels
2019 – present
Independent Sales Consultant
Smart Service Network · Belgium
Prospecting by phone and in person; running sales meetings end to end
Identifying customer needs and budget, then proposing tailored offers
Sales follow-up, reporting and team meetings
Looking for a business development or partnerships role in esports.
Based in Brussels, open to relocating in Europe. If you have an opening, or just want to talk about it, write to me.
