Our Story
As all great stories, the origin of ours is in modest beginnings, irresistible passion for gaming in general, and boundless work. We have been involved with tabletop gaming for decades, as gamers, game designers and local gaming event organizers. Taking lessons and opportunities that arose from our continuous dedication to self-improvement, we developed knowledge and networks, gained priceless experience, and combined all of those into the genesis of our Licensing & Tabletop Gaming Consulting Agency M.O.B. Vanguard. We have proudly collaborated with and served industry titans and promising nascent publishers alike, providing our entire range of services with great outcomes and kept them coming back to us for their latest and most prized endeavors.
Our Team
At M.O.B. Vanguard we are extremely happy that we get to work every day in a field we love, swearing by two statements that we shall hold as our dearest principles in perpetuity:
Great deeds and aspirations will be actualized only by a team you are proud and happy to work alongside each and every day.
Any project benefits immensely from the wealth of perspectives offered by a diverse, inclusive, accomplished yet insatiably driven team.
Founders and co-owners Michael Raftopoulos (he/him) and Marilena Doukakis (she/her) are at the helm of all M.O.B. Vanguard endeavors providing leadership, experience, hard work and inspiration to the rest of permanent or freelancing members of our team.
Michael has negotiated hundreds of licensing agreements, advised elite tabletop gaming crowdfunding campaigns, built from scratch an astounding network of industry professionals (publishers, retailers, manufacturers, etc.) ranging from colossal to up-and-coming firms, thus gaining insight into every factor determining success for your gaming project.
Marilena has been the stalwart force in turning Meeple On Board (M.O.B. Vanguard’s sister-company) from an unknown newcomer into one of Greece’s leading tabletop gaming retailers, the lead communicator for both companies sealing important deals for each of them. An industry insider like very few others, she will be your ever-present ally in your introduction into the professional side of this wonderful hobby of ours, whether it be via crowdfunding or retail channels.
Michael has negotiated hundreds of licensing agreements, advised elite tabletop gaming crowdfunding campaigns, built from scratch an astounding network of industry professionals (publishers, retailers, manufacturers, etc.) ranging from colossal to up-and-coming firms, thus gaining insight into every factor determining success for your gaming project.
Marilena has been the stalwart force in turning Meeple On Board (M.O.B. Vanguard’s sister-company) from an unknown newcomer into one of Greece’s leading tabletop gaming retailers, the lead communicator for both companies sealing important deals for each of them. An industry insider like very few others, she will be your ever-present ally in your introduction into the professional side of this wonderful hobby of ours, whether it be via crowdfunding or retail channels.
Petros Papoulias
Licensing Agent
Petros is a tabletop gaming licensing agent and has been an integral part of the M.O.B. Vanguard family since 2020. His main areas of expertise consist of all matters pertaining to preparing and negotiating licensing agreements, building strong relationships with both licensors and licensees, while his partnerships with numerous manufacturing outlets guarantee our clients the lowest production costs their games will face in the market today. He has advised and coached numerous Kickstarter projects and creators over the past five years. Furthermore he is a music mentor, consultant and creator for various unique projects.
Socrates Ganavias
Cultural Advisor
Born in Greece with a love for history and a curiosity to experience the cultures he studied up close. During his studies at University of Patras he discovered his passion for Mediterranean cultures and the way they were influenced over huge historical moments, making him an excellent judge of the efficacy and suitability of culture-specific content in tabletop games and media. Our industry is constantly becoming more inclusive and produces more thoughtful works, so the keen eye of an expert in historical perceptions is invaluable.
Paco García-Reed Jaen
Licensing Agent
Paco is a devotee of roleplaying games from a very young age and fell in love with cosmic horror. He created GMS Magazine in 2010 to cover both roleplaying and board games. He has also written and published his own work with Campo de Mitos and From Within, part of his Cthulhu Hispanica series, as well as contributed as writer, cartographer and sensitivity consultant for various projects, including the Hellboy RPG.
He has worked in the creative industries since 1998 going from 3d animation production to graphic and web design and currently Art Director and Instructional Designer with a focus on gamification and storytelling.
Kévin Tortissier
Licensing Agent
Originally from France, he has been living in Japan for 10 years now. His passion for board games has been with him for a very long time and it was this that led him to work with us. Enthralled by the culture which welcomed him with open arms and possessing invaluable experience in our industry, he is uniquely situated, thanks to his vast experience, to serve as an agent and a liaison between M.O.B. Vanguard and Japanese clients and partners.
Pete Sidiropoulos
Junior Licensing Agent
A tabletop gaming enthusiast who learned the craft of brokering licensing deals in our very own system. His expertise lies in discovering useful information for our dealings wherever it may be hidden, and possessing encyclopedic knowledge of our industry and its products. Also, a native English speaker and professional translator, his strong communication skills are very useful in maneuvering even the toughest negotiations.
Francesco Biglia
Licensing Agent
Lucky Leprechaun from Italy, he opened his game store years ago and now he wanders the world in search of good games to play, great friends to hug and beautiful places to rest his eyes on.
Chocolate bringer, positive thinking advocate and dwarven base builder hobbyist.
Chocolate bringer, positive thinking advocate and dwarven base builder hobbyist.
Dina Ramse
Licensing Agent
Once a farmer girl from Norway, who abandoned the mountains for the Finnish lakes, she is now a liaison between M.O.B. Vanguard and Nordic clients and partners. She Loves morning meetings and late night emails.
Ori Kagan
Talent Scout
Growing up with a love for board games and dreaming of directing fantastic movies, Ori, turns creators’ visions into cinematic experiences that hook backers, through his Israeli-based studio that creates high-quality animated trailers for board games. As part of his work with M.O.B. Vanguard, Ori helps creators get their games ready for crowdfunding launches and is always on the lookout for a game that has localization potential to bring to the team. He’s all about helping creators connect with their superfans and making their campaigns as successful (and stress-free) as possible.
Dimitris Kostikos
Marketing Specialist
When marketing and board games crossed paths in Dimitris’ life, he found his true calling. With a knack for creating compelling social media content and running impactful ad campaigns, he takes pride in bringing ideas to life in meaningful ways and sharing them with the world. Beyond MOB Vanguard, he channels his love for games into managing his own board game brand in Greece, designing and curating experiences that bring people together.
Dennis Antypas
Administrative Coordinator
Dennis ensures clear and effective communication inside and outside of MOB. His organizational capabilities ensure that the gears of all that allows MOB-Vanguard to function rotate efficiently. Also, an avid and experienced gamer, he is more than delighted to indulge in MOB Vanguard's incessant playtesting tabletop games from all over the globe, offering constructive feedback and rich insight.