Manager, Licensing & Partnerships

KRAFTON INDIA; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

KRAFTON INDIA is seeking a seasoned licensing and partnerships leader to drive cricket rights and ecosystem partnerships across India, with potential expansion regionally and globally.

You will identify licensing opportunities, negotiate terms, and build enduring relationships with cricket boards, clubs, and rights holders, aligning strategies with our gaming portfolio and business goals.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of licensing, partnerships, or rights management experience in gaming, sports, or entertainment.
• Strong understanding of the Indian cricket ecosystem, stakeholders, and media rights.
• Proven ability to build long-term strategic partnerships with boards, clubs, and rights holders.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.
• Deep business sense to align licensing strategy with company goals.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end licensing and partnership activities for cricket teams, leagues, players, stadiums, and IPs.
• Identify, evaluate, and negotiate licensing opportunities aligned with business goals.
• Drive deals with cricket boards, clubs, players’ associations, sports agencies, and rights holders.
• Build long-term strategic relationships across India and beyond.
• Provide insights on licensing trends, market dynamics and competitive landscape.
• Collaborate with product, legal, marketing, and publishing teams on terms and execution.
• Maintain up-to-date repository of licensing agreements, rights coverage, and performance metrics.

Skills

Licensing

Partnerships

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Relationship building

Business acumen

Job description

WHO WE ARE

Based out of South Korea, KRAFTON, Inc. is committed to discovering and globally publishing games that deliver a uniquely fun experience with global production studios known for distinctive creatives.

Founded in 2007, KRAFTON consists of PUBG STUDIOS, Bluehole Studio, RisingWings, Striking Distance Studios, Dreamotion, Unknown Worlds, 5minlab, Neon Giant, KRAFTON Montréal Studio and ReLU Games, each trying to innovate the enjoyment of games through continuously embracing challenges and new technologies, expanding our platforms and services to win the hearts of more fans.

KRAFTON India has established itself as a trailblazer in the gaming industry, driven by its unwavering commitment to delivering distinctive and enjoyable gaming experiences. At the heart of KRAFTON India's success lies a deep understanding of the Indian gaming community.

The company takes immense pride in its premier entertainment properties, which include highly popular titles like BATTLEGROUNDS MOBILE INDIA (BGMI), CookieRun India, Road To Valor: Empires, Defense Derby, and New State Mobile. These games have not only captured the hearts of Indian players but have also played a pivotal role in fostering a thriving e-sports ecosystem in the country.

With a focus on India, KRAFTON is dedicated to nurturing the gaming and start‑up ecosystem. In line with this commitment, KRAFTON initiated the KRAFTON India Gaming Incubator (KIGI) in October 2023. KIGI aims to support 6‑10 teams annually, with program durations ranging from six months to one year. Additionally, KRAFTON India has invested over $150 million in the Indian market in the past two years. It has committed an additional $150 million to the Indian start‑up ecosystem over the next three years.

Nautilus Mobile is an Indian game development studio based in Pune, known for building Real Cricket — India’s most popular mobile cricket gaming franchise. Founded in 2013, the studio has consistently delivered authentic, high-quality cricket simulation experiences to millions of players across India and beyond. Its successful titles include Real Cricket 24, Real Cricket 22, Real Cricket GO, and the legacy favourite Real Cricket Premier League. In April 2025, KRAFTON acquired a majority stake in Nautilus Mobile. This investment reflects its commitment to unlocking opportunities for Indian game developers and supporting the growth of India’s gaming ecosystem. Through this partnership, Nautilus Mobile continues to innovate at the intersection of sport and gaming, shaping the future of interactive cricket entertainment.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated professional to lead our licensing and partnership efforts related to the cricket ecosystem in India, with potential to expand into broader regional and global cricket gaming rights. This individual will be responsible for identifying, evaluating, and securing licensing opportunities ranging from smaller, tactical agreements to complex multi‑party, multi‑regional deals. The pivotal to building a differentiated and authentic cricket gaming experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own end-to-end responsibility for licensing and partnership activities related to cricket teams, leagues, players, stadiums, and associated IPs.


• Identify, assess, and negotiate licensing opportunities in alignment with the company’s business and product goals.


• Drive and close deals with a wide range of stakeholders including cricket boards, clubs, players’ associations, sports agencies, and rights holders.


• Build and nurture long‑term strategic relationships across the cricketing ecosystem in India and beyond.


• Provide strategic insights on cricket licensing trends, competitive landscape, and market dynamics.


• Collaborate cross‑functionally with product, legal, marketing, and publishing teams to align on deal terms and execution plans.


• Maintain an up‑to‑date repository of licensing agreements, rights coverage, and performance metrics.

• Own end‑to‑end responsibility for licensing and partnership activities related to cricket teams, leagues, players, stadiums, and associated IPs.


• Identify, assess, and negotiate licensing opportunities in alignment with the company’s business and product goals.


• Drive and close deals with a wide range of stakeholders including cricket boards, clubs, players’ associations, sports agencies, and rights holders.


• Build and nurture long‑term strategic relationships across the cricketing ecosystem in India and beyond.


• Provide strategic insights on cricket licensing trends, competitive landscape, and market dynamics.


• Collaborate cross‑functionally with product, legal, marketing, and publishing teams to align on deal terms and execution plans.


• Maintain an up‑to‑date repository of licensing agreements, rights coverage, and performance metrics.

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum 10 years of experience in licensing, partnerships, or rights management within the gaming, sports, or entertainment industry.


• Demonstrated success in managing end-to-end licensing deals – from identification and evaluation to negotiation and closure.


• Strong understanding of the cricket landscape in India, including key stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and media rights.


• Proven track record of developing long‑term strategic partnerships in a highly dynamic and excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.


• Deep business acumen with the ability to align licensing strategy with company goals.


• Demonstrated ability and commitment to build and sustain long‑term relationships with cricket boards, clubs, sports agencies, and rights holders.

• Minimum 10 years of experience in licensing, partnerships, or rights management within the gaming, sports, or entertainment industry.


• Demonstrated success in managing end-to-end licensing deals – from identification and evaluation to negotiation and closure.


• Strong understanding of the cricket landscape in India, including key stakeholders, regulatory bodies, and media rights.


• Proven track record of developing long‑term strategic partnerships in a highly dynamic and competitive environment.


• Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills.


• Deep business acumen with the ability to align licensing strategy with company goals.


• Demonstrated ability and commitment to build and sustain long‑term relationships with cricket boards, clubs, sports agencies, and rights holders.

PREFERRED

• Prior experience working directly with cricket boards or associations.


• Background in video game publishing or mobile game licensing, particularly in the sports or cricket genre.


• Understanding of IP law and licensing frameworks in gaming and sports media.