Richards was previously Director of Organized Play at Peachstate Hobby Distribution (see "Ian Richards of PHD on the Economics of Pre-Releases" and "First 'Machi Koro' Championships"). Prior to that he worked for Wizards of the Coast designing and developing Organized Play programs. Richards grew up in the UK and received a degree in Graphic Design from Isle of Ely College, Wisbech, but was more drawn to marketing after graduation.
"I'm a big believer in staying in touch with consumers to help me design better programs," Richards said in the announcement. "To help me achieve this, I regularly run demos at local stores to ensure I get to talk with players and retailers alike."