Tom 'Zileas' Cadwell serves as the Chief Design Officer and Executive Vice President of Research & Development at Riot Games Inc. Previously, he held positions as the Design Director of League of Legends and Head of Research & Development.

Before joining Riot, Cadwell worked at Blizzard Entertainment as a Designer on World of Warcraft, where he developed the core talent system and enhanced the new player experience. He also led play balance for Warcraft III The Frozen Throne. Cadwell holds an MBA from Kellogg and a BS in Computer Science from MIT.

Notable achievements include:

• Winner of the Blizzard Brood War Beta invitational
• Multiple-time #1 ranked player on StarCraft and Brood War ladders

Key Game Development Contributions:

• Co-created Annie, the Dark Child (with Colt Hallam, Jeff Jew, Paul Bellezza, and Steve Feak)
• Co-developed Ashe, the Frost Archer (with the same team)
• Designed The Tribunal system

Known for his expertise in game design and player experience, Cadwell combines technical knowledge with practical gaming experience to shape Riot Games' development direction. In his spare time, he enjoys gaming and reading science fiction while exercising.

Career Timeline:

• Blizzard Entertainment: Game Designer (World of Warcraft, Warcraft III)
• Riot Games: Design Director → Head of R&D → Chief Design Officer and EVP of R&D

[Note: Content has been reorganized and condensed for clarity while maintaining all key information from the original article.]

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