The Hidden Hand: Joanne Llavore, the Quiet Mentor of Boss Rada

In every industry, there are names that often light up the stage, and then there are those who work behind the scenes, quietly shaping the industry’s future. One such force is Joanne Llavore, the business development head of Aurora Gaming, a rising esports organization in the Philippines.

Boss Rada refers to Joanne as his mentor who helps him with the business side of esports. She is an accomplished leader with a career that spans advertising, adtech, and digital media. She was also a senior vice president in Tier One, which she left last year. She is a hidden hand behind the success not only of not only Blacklist but also the esports industry in the Philippines. 

Now, she’s going to make sure Aurora’s bold ambitions are realized. 

“I’m really not endemic to esports,” Joanne begins, reflecting on her journey. “But this industry isn’t new to me because I’ve been exposed to it for over a decade.” 

Her initial foray into esports came when she was part of building Esports INQ, a dedicated microsite for esports at Inquirer.net. This experience, combined with her long-standing background in media advertising, laid the foundation for her current role.

After years in advertising and adtech, Joanne felt the pull to return to esports when the right opportunity presented itself. In fact, Joanne had no plans of returning to esports but since it was Rada who asked her to help him with Aurora, she couldn’t refuse. 

“I’ve always had this nature of trying new things,” she explains. “When the chance came, I felt like, why not? Esports was familiar to me from my earlier work, but now it was also this growing industry full of untapped potential.”

For Joanne, that excitement is rooted in the early-stage nature of esports in the Philippines. 

“It’s like a toddler in terms of business development. If I can be part of building something formidable, something that thrives, that’s really cool.”

Joanne’s journey in esports is closely tied to her involvement with Blacklist International, one of the most successful esports organizations in the country. “I met Tryke [Gutierrez] when we were developing Esports INQ for Inquirer,” she recalls. 

That collaboration brought credibility to esports in the Philippines by involving traditional media. 

Now, Joanne is focused on Aurora, a new team with bold ambitions. 

“Aurora is still in its early stages, but we’re working on big plans for players like Renejay and VeeWise,” she says. Though she keeps specifics under wraps, Joanne hints at their future expansion into Southeast Asia and the global stage. 

“Building them as brands won’t take long,” she adds confidently.

Running Esports Like a Business

Aurora’s future is shaped by the collaboration between Joanne and her partner, Boss Rada, another key figure in the industry. Together, they are working to make esports a sustainable business in the Philippines, a country where the industry is still emerging.

“We share a vision for developing esports into a viable business,” Joanne explains. “It’s all about applying sound business principles. When the business is run well, it creates a positive culture, not the other way around. We both recognize that this will take a lot of work.”

She believes that esports in the Philippines can achieve the same level of recognition and viability as traditional sports. “It’s very promising!” she says, when asked about the industry’s future. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t. It reminds me of the early days of sports marketing—it wasn’t an established business at first, but it grew into one.”

While Joanne has experienced her fair share of achievements in esports, one memory stands out: the launch of Aurora. “We pulled it together in less than a month,” she recalls, her excitement palpable. “It was a core memory for me because, for the first time, I felt a real connection with the players. I got to know their feelings, their excitement, and their fears.”

This experience marked a new chapter for Joanne. “With Aurora, I felt like I was part of something from the ground up. That’s what excites me—building something and seeing it come to life.”

As for Aurora’s future, Joanne remains optimistic but grounded. “We’re hoping the team performs well this season. Win or lose, there are plans,” she teases. 

The coming months will be crucial for Aurora as they work to solidify their place in the highly competitive esports landscape.

“There’s a long way to go and I can’t say we have reached our peak yet in Aurora as a brand and an esports team. Hopefully, we’ll get there.”

For sales and partnerships with Aurora, email Joanne Llavore through jj@auroragg.com and mlbbmarketing@auroragg.com.

Special thanks to The Bellevue Manila.