Speaker Bio
Dr. Jan Wedekind is the VP of Franchise Development for Candy Crush at King, where he shapes the future of one of the world’s most iconic gaming franchises. A data-driven leader with over a decade of experience in mobile gaming, Jan has successfully bridged scientific rigor with business strategy to drive sustainable growth and innovation at scale.
Since joining King in 2012, Jan has held leadership roles spanning product development, business performance, and strategic insights—culminating in his previous position as VP and Head of Central Insights. Notably, he led the rebuilding of King’s revenue and reach forecasting, delivering new data models that power more accurate predictions and inform critical decision-making across the franchise. Today Jan spearheads Candy Crush’s long-term strategy development, ensuring that the franchise remains at the forefront of mobile entertainment.
Before his career at King, Jan was a Product Manager at Digital Chocolate. He earned his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of Cologne where he received the University Award for best dissertation. Throughout his career, he has contributed extensively to both the scientific and gaming communities through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and thought leadership.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, Jan values family first, curiosity, and achievement. Beyond gaming and data analytics, he enjoys playing acoustic guitar, and photography.