Jon Dwyer
Max Desmarais
Max Desmarais
Max
Desmarais
Jon Dwyer has served as Chairman & CEO of Vertiqal Studios since 2019.
A veteran media and brand executive, Dwyer leads the Toronto-based social collective, owners of the largest gaming and lifestyle network on social media in North America. Vertiqal Studios, which generates over two billion monthly views across 138 owned and operated channels, pairs leading brands, agencies and creators with full production and distribution of campaigns across TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
Dwyer was previously Chairman, CEO and co-founder of Wondr Gaming, which acquired Gamelancer in 2021. In 2023, Gamelancer was rebranded to Vertiqal Studios and Dwyer assumed his current role. Dwyer got his start in the media industry as Senior Vice-President of Aquilini Gameco and subsequently served as Senior Vice-President and Head of Sales & Partnerships at Enthusiast Gaming, before leaving to co-found Wondr Gaming.
Prior to entering the media industry, Dwyer served as Vice-Chair & CEO of Aereus Technologies, an antimicrobial metals company and before that he was Chairman & CEO of Flax Energy until 2014. Dwyer holds an Honors B.A. in Political Science from McMaster University and studied International Economics & Finance at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).
Max Desmarais has served as President, Vertiqal Studios, since 2021. Desmarais is also the Founder and CEO of 514 Creative, which specializes in helping businesses, brands, and people reach new and existing clients through digital media. At Vertiqal Studios, a leading social collective behind the largest gaming and lifestyle networks on social media in the U.S. and Canada, Desmarais is focused on growing the company’s myriad media businesses. His extensive relationships with corporate partners, brands, athletes, and musicians continue to help expand Vertiqal Studios’ marketplaces with exciting, unique, and exclusive products for its millions of subscribers.
Prior to joining Vertiqal Studios, Desmarais was the Co-Founder and President of ScaleLab Network, a YouTube multi-platform network with offices in Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil. There he oversaw ScaleLab’s extensive list of YouTube channels and millions of global subscribers, as well as subsidiary companies including DisruptivAgency, Spanish/Portuguese arm ScaleLab Mundo, and regional divisions in the U.K., Russia, Germany, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.
Before forming ScaleLab, Desmarais was Vice President of New Media at Principal Media, a global TV/online entertainment company based in London and Beverly Hills, California. At Principal Media, he led the development of the company’s slate of digital programming, as well as devising and implementing its social media strategy. Prior to joining Principal Media, Desmarais spearheaded the global social media strategy of Guess, Inc., and expanded the fashion powerhouse’s social footprint from two to 78 countries. He was also an account executive at Publicis Group, where he created digital marketing campaigns for brands such as Home Depot, Labatt Brewing Company and KIA.
Fluent in French, Desmarais received a B.A. in Philosophy at the University of Ottawa and a master’s degree in marketing at UCLA.
Max Desmarais has served as President, Vertiqal Studios, since 2021. Desmarais is also the Founder and CEO of 514 Creative, which specializes in helping businesses, brands, and people reach new and existing clients through digital media. At Vertiqal Studios, a leading social collective behind the largest gaming and lifestyle networks on social media in the U.S. and Canada, Desmarais is focused on growing the company’s myriad media businesses. His extensive relationships with corporate partners, brands, athletes, and musicians continue to help expand Vertiqal Studios’ marketplaces with exciting, unique, and exclusive products for its millions of subscribers.
Prior to joining Vertiqal Studios, Desmarais was the Co-Founder and President of ScaleLab Network, a YouTube multi-platform network with offices in Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil. There he oversaw ScaleLab’s extensive list of YouTube channels and millions of global subscribers, as well as subsidiary companies including DisruptivAgency, Spanish/Portuguese arm ScaleLab Mundo, and regional divisions in the U.K., Russia, Germany, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.
Before forming ScaleLab, Desmarais was Vice President of New Media at Principal Media, a global TV/online entertainment company based in London and Beverly Hills, California. At Principal Media, he led the development of the company’s slate of digital programming, as well as devising and implementing its social media strategy. Prior to joining Principal Media, Desmarais spearheaded the global social media strategy of Guess, Inc., and expanded the fashion powerhouse’s social footprint from two to 78 countries. He was also an account executive at Publicis Group, where he created digital marketing campaigns for brands such as Home Depot, Labatt Brewing Company and KIA.
Fluent in French, Desmarais received a B.A. in Philosophy at the University of Ottawa and a master’s degree in marketing at UCLA.
Max Desmarais has served as President, Vertiqal Studios, since 2021. Desmarais is also the Founder and CEO of 514 Creative, which specializes in helping businesses, brands, and people reach new and existing clients through digital media. At Vertiqal Studios, a leading social collective behind the largest gaming and lifestyle networks on social media in the U.S. and Canada, Desmarais is focused on growing the company’s myriad media businesses. His extensive relationships with corporate partners, brands, athletes, and musicians continue to help expand Vertiqal Studios’ marketplaces with exciting, unique, and exclusive products for its millions of subscribers.
Prior to joining Vertiqal Studios, Desmarais was the Co-Founder and President of ScaleLab Network, a YouTube multi-platform network with offices in Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil. There he oversaw ScaleLab’s extensive list of YouTube channels and millions of global subscribers, as well as subsidiary companies including DisruptivAgency, Spanish/Portuguese arm ScaleLab Mundo, and regional divisions in the U.K., Russia, Germany, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.
Before forming ScaleLab, Desmarais was Vice President of New Media at Principal Media, a global TV/online entertainment company based in London and Beverly Hills, California. At Principal Media, he led the development of the company’s slate of digital programming, as well as devising and implementing its social media strategy. Prior to joining Principal Media, Desmarais spearheaded the global social media strategy of Guess, Inc., and expanded the fashion powerhouse’s social footprint from two to 78 countries. He was also an account executive at Publicis Group, where he created digital marketing campaigns for brands such as Home Depot, Labatt Brewing Company and KIA.
Fluent in French, Desmarais received a B.A. in Philosophy at the University of Ottawa and a master’s degree in marketing at UCLA.
CEO
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT
Max Desmarais | PRESIDENT
Max Desmarais has served as President, Vertiqal Studios, since 2021. Desmarais is also the Founder and CEO of 514 Creative, which specializes in helping businesses, brands, and people reach new and existing clients through digital media. At Vertiqal Studios, a leading social collective behind the largest gaming and lifestyle networks on social media in the U.S. and Canada, Desmarais is focused on growing the company’s myriad media businesses. His extensive relationships with corporate partners, brands, athletes, and musicians continue to help expand Vertiqal Studios’ marketplaces with exciting, unique, and exclusive products for its millions of subscribers.
Prior to joining Vertiqal Studios, Desmarais was the Co-Founder and President of ScaleLab Network, a YouTube multi-platform network with offices in Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil. There he oversaw ScaleLab’s extensive list of YouTube channels and millions of global subscribers, as well as subsidiary companies including DisruptivAgency, Spanish/Portuguese arm ScaleLab Mundo, and regional divisions in the U.K., Russia, Germany, Lithuania, and the Netherlands.
Before forming ScaleLab, Desmarais was Vice President of New Media at Principal Media, a global TV/online entertainment company based in London and Beverly Hills, California. At Principal Media, he led the development of the company’s slate of digital programming, as well as devising and implementing its social media strategy. Prior to joining Principal Media, Desmarais spearheaded the global social media strategy of Guess, Inc., and expanded the fashion powerhouse’s social footprint from two to 78 countries. He was also an account executive at Publicis Group, where he created digital marketing campaigns for brands such as Home Depot, Labatt Brewing Company and KIA.
Fluent in French, Desmarais received a B.A. in Philosophy at the University of Ottawa and a master’s degree in marketing at UCLA.