The SXSW Sydney 2024 team has confirmed Twitch CEO Dan Clancy will be a headlining speaker for the upcoming event, taking part in multiple talks across the week-long conference in October. Per a press release, Clancy will be part of multiple sessions during SXSW Sydney, and will largely focus on the changing creator economy, and “what it takes to build and nurture online communities.”
Clancy has been the CEO of Twitch since 2023, and this will be his first public speaking appearance in Australia since taking the role.
“It is with great pride and excitement that we welcome Dan to Australia and SXSW Sydney. He is an industry luminary, and someone who has advocated for gamers and streamers passionately over the years – we expect him to bring his bold ideas to our stage in October,” Colin Daniels, SXSW Sydney Managing Director said.
Clancy’s insights will certainly be intriguing, particularly given his relatively recent appointment at Twitch. During his tenure, the company has undergone major changes, including a significant round of layoffs which saw 35% of staff (around 500) lose their jobs. This was a result of wider company disruption, and overarching financial losses that forced Twitch to become a much leaner company.
Read: Twitch is laying off 500 employees, around 35% of staff
This will likely be a very sensitive topic to be avoided at SXSW Sydney 2024, but with Clancy set to provide insight on the changing creator economy, we could certainly hear more about the company’s recent moves, and what its future looks like.
Prior to working at Twitch, Clancy also worked at NASA, Google, and Nextdoor, so he’ll certainly have other expertise to draw from as well. As Daniels said, Clancy has a long history in the technology industry, and he’ll be a fascinating speaker, regardless of subject matter.
Elsewhere, the SXSW Sydney 2024 team has also announced Xsolla will be a sponsor of its Games Industry track, supporting and hosting a range of panels and talks throughout the event. Also confirmed for the Games Industry track is a variety of talks from Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan, Strange Scaffold’s creative director, Xalavier Nelson Jr., and Pacific Drive‘s lead narrative designer, Karrie Shao.
Stay tuned for more announcements as we head towards the return of SXSW Sydney on 14-20 October 2024.
