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.

Tien Vu DoLicensing Agent
Since 2016, Tien has been involved deeply into the Game Industry, first starting as a Project Manager at the German Company Happyshops. There, he was responsible for scouting games for Happyshops’ publishing department and handling their crowdfunding campaigns. Soon Tien became Lead Manager in Acquisition and Sales, negotiating international licenses of games on the international scale, establishing many contacts and friendships in the gaming community. Since 2021, Tien has been working a licensing agent and has joined the MOB Vanguard team with his experience. As an experienced License and Project Manager, he focuses on international relationships between publishers in his vast network of contacts.
Petros PapouliasLicensing 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 GanaviasCultural 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 what is deeply set in a cultures mindset and the way a situation can be presented so that it will be more easily accepted and understood from a certain group of people.
Aisea Garcia HernandezCultural Advisor
Her mother from Basque and her father from Chile, born in Greece and raised in a multicultural environment, one would say her curiosity to study cultures and the way they affect our perception was a no brainer for her. Having learned first hand what it’s like to be a minority, a woman and a foreigner in a country she is determined to help others see what is the expected in delicate as well as everyday matters.
Kévin TortissierLicensing 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 SidiropoulosJunior 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.