Movember appoints Dr. Dylan Poulus as global esports lead

Movember has appointed Dr. Dylan Poulus as Global Lead, Esports & Gaming, effective June 2026. Poulus will co-lead a three-year effort to place structured mental-health support inside competitive gaming while continuing as a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Southern Cross University.

He will share leadership of Movember’s esports vertical with Dan Cooper, the charity’s Global Director, Innovation. The role is intended to embed mental-health resources directly into competitive gaming and interactive entertainment platforms, targeting environments where large numbers of young people spend time and form social bonds and identities.

Poulus commented he plans to combine academic research with corporate partnerships, programs and fundraising to deliver practical interventions inside gaming communities.

He steps into the role after serving as a Senior Research Fellow at Movember from November 2024 to May 2026, focusing on video games and esports. His background spans clinical research and industry work, including founding QUT Esports while at the Queensland University of Technology.

Movember expanded its presence in top-tier competitive gaming in January 2026 with a multi-year partnership with Riot Games. The charity became the Official Mental Health Partner for the League of Legends EMEA Championship, the VALORANT Champions Tour EMEA and the Game Changers EMEA Championship for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. The agreement includes plans for specialized mental-health training, broadcast messaging and player-only roundtables for professional competitors and support staff.

The organization plans to present esports initiatives at Global Esports Industry Week, scheduled 18–21 June 2026 in Cologne alongside IEM Cologne. Movember’s esports work builds on earlier projects such as Esports Mental Health Guidelines and commissioned research into gaming communities.

Since 2003 Movember has funded more than 1,300 men’s health projects worldwide. The appointment follows the charity’s stated esports roadmap to expand its presence inside gaming networks through long-term partnerships, research-led programs and community-facing support.

In a statement, Poulus commented: “Esports and gaming are where millions of young people spend their time, build belonging and find identity. They are also spaces where mental health too often goes unsupported. Over the next three years the goal is to change that, not by telling young people to log off, but by meeting them through the things they love.”