Women Of Influence 2025: The Story Mob's Anna Rozwandowicz

As the founder and CEO of The Story Mob, a London-based global communications consultancy focused on gaming, esports, and immersive entertainment, Anna Rozwandowicz is at the forefront of public relations (PR) for one of the fastest-growing industries in the region—if not the world—today.

“When I launched The Story Mob in 2018, there was no blueprint for building a PR firm centered around gaming culture,” Rozwandowicz says. “We created it from scratch: a digital-first agency that understands how to speak to fan communities and navigate the complexity of an industry where traditional PR rules don’t apply."

Rozwandowicz, who left a position as Vice President of Communications at one of the world’s largest esports companies (ESL, now EFG), to found The Story Mob, has, together with her team, built a client list that includes Riot Games, the American video game developer behind titles like League of Legends, as well as cultural institutions like the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA). She has also led the enterprise to be named the global lead agency for the Esports World Cup—the most influential esports tournament in history. With a prize pool that was worth more than US$70 million, the event has, with over 30,000 stories in media that generated over $1.7 billion in value, solidified esports as a global sports and cultural force. Under Rozwandowicz’s leadership, the campaign for the event not only set a new bar for gaming and esports PR; it redefined what the world expects from esports storytelling.

Rozwandowicz has also been at the forefront of championing women in gaming and esports, with her noting that the entry of women into these industries has been more than just changing the faces in the room—it has rather transformed the tone, priorities, and long-term outlook of the industry. “For years, the conversation around women in gaming was either sidelined or tokenized,” Rozwandowicz says. “Now, women in leadership are setting the agenda: pushing for better representation, building safer and more inclusive spaces, and challenging outdated norms around competition, fandom, and workplace culture.”

Plus, with female viewership and participation on the rise, stakeholders have started to pay closer attention. “Sponsors are asking smarter questions,” she says. “Investors are backing women-led initiatives. But we’re still early. Real change will come from continuing to put women in positions of power, telling their stories with authenticity, and backing them with the resources to build something lasting.” And as women increasingly gain visibility in the industry, they are actively playing a role in reshaping where esports and gaming are headed, Rozwandowicz notes—and the benefits of that have been multifold.

“Women in leadership drive a lasting change,” she says. “They fund other women, hire with intention, build people-first cultures where talent doesn’t have to fit any standard other than excellence and passion for what you do. And most importantly, they create visibility. When young girls see women succeeding in esports—whether on stage or behind the scenes—it breaks down stereotypes and opens doors. Role models matter—and this is why throughout my career, I’ve pushed for three things: representation, opportunity, and endorsement. You need all three to drive lasting change.”

Indeed, the very DNA of The Story Mob has been part of Rozwandowicz’s mandate to empower women. “Internally, I’ve built The Story Mob as a modern, resilient agency model: female-founded, 50 percent female-led, and operating on a four-day workweek,” Rozwandowicz shares. “We’ve proven that high performance and healthy culture aren’t mutually exclusive—and that agencies can adapt to the next generation of talent and clients without sacrificing results.” As for how she achieves this, Rozwandowicz says that she makes use of a leadership style that is direct, transparent, and highly strategic, prioritizing clarity, trust, and accountability, and focusing on driving long-term impact and creative excellence by building empowered teams.

Ultimately, Rozwandowicz believes that empowering females to thrive in leadership across industries reflects not only on women, but on entire ecosystems. “When women are in leadership positions, they don’t just influence business outcomes; they shift what’s possible for everyone else around them,” she concludes.

Lessons Learned: Q&A with Anna Rozwandowicz 

Looking back on your journey, if there is one piece of advice you’d give yourself before you embarked on your career, what would that be? Additionally, if you could go back in time and tell yourself something that you should avoid or simply not do, what would that be?  

If I could go back and offer myself one piece of advice, it would be this: it's entirely possible to judge yourself only by your actions. You can feel one thing and do another, and while the cognitive dissonance will be there, you can simply just do the thing. Again and again. 

Clarity comes from action, not overthinking. There will be so many moments when you feel tired, insecure, uncertain, or alone—but that doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It just means you’re building something worth doing. And when those moments hit, the only thing that matters is that you show up and do the work anyway. Not everyone will agree, not everyone will like you—you will never be everyone's cup of tea. But if you don't stand for something, you will fall for anything. So don't let the anxiety paralyze you into inaction until it's too late. And, in the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, you don't need to see the whole staircase—just the first step in faith. 

It took me time to realize that my real superpowers are authenticity and vulnerability, and to fully embrace them. Those are the traits that built my team, won trust, and shaped how we work at The Story Mob. 

I’d also tell myself to be less deferential to “the way it’s always been done.” When I entered esports, I walked into a space that had its gatekeepers and hierarchies. But innovation happens when you question those systems—and that comes with some friction. In this industry, we haven’t just redefined gaming as entertainment and sport. We’ve redefined how we lead, hire, communicate, and create culture. That’s the real disruption. 

And if there’s one thing I’d avoid? Letting self-doubt delay action. I’ve learned that you can be sad and still lead. Be frustrated and still ship. Be scared and still take the meeting. Be exhausted and still show up. Growth doesn’t come from waiting until you feel ready. It comes from moving forward despite the discomfort. And the discomfort itself? That's only there because you're still in the game, you're playing, and the field around you changes. That's a blessing. 

To women coming up behind me: your instincts are valid. Your voice matters. Your leadership doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Take the step, even if it’s messy. Be the kind of leader who does the thing, especially when it’s hard. 

Anna Rozwandowicz was one of Inc. Arabia's Women of Influence 2025, a showcase of 30 women rewriting the rules of business in the MENA region. For the full list, please click here.

Pictured in the lead image is Anna Rozwandowicz, founder and CEO of The Story Mob. Image via Inc. Arabia.