October 2025 Jobs Roundup: Kokku Reveals Executive Leadership Changes

The games industry is constantly evolving, with new appointments and transitions emerging regularly. To help keep track of these changes, we've compiled a roundup of the latest developments. If your company has any new appointments or transitions to share, please send the details to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Recent moves include Amanda Kruse joining Blumhouse Games as head of business development, having previously held the same role at Big Fan, a publishing label created by Devolver Digital. Kruse brings a wealth of experience, including production company Hivemind and co-founding Lionsgate's games division. Blumhouse Games president Zach Wood praised Kruse's 'deep understanding of games, her eye for transmedia storytelling, and her passion for pushing creative boundaries.' Kruse expressed her excitement at joining Blumhouse Games, citing the creative energy in the horror space and her desire to support original games that challenge and surprise players. Meanwhile, co-development studio Kokku has announced changes to its executive leadership team, appointing Carol Lara as COO and João Moraes as CFO. Lara, the first woman to join Kokku's executive team, will oversee the company's operational departments, while Moraes will focus on strengthening financial governance and supporting sustainable growth. Other recent appointments include Laurent Pawlowski as director of platform store relations at Xsolla, Matt Walsh as talent acquisition partner at Epic Games, and Jerreau Henry as community manager at Laced. Appcharge has also appointed David Stelzer as chief strategy officer, following a recent $58 million Series B investment. Amy White has joined Aristocrat as communications vice president, EMEA, while Lisa Kneidl has joined Larian Studios as PR manager. Summer Tang has been appointed operations director at Yrs Truly, and Joost van Druenen has been named strategic advisor at ELO. Hamza Yuşa Delipoyraz has been promoted to junior QA specialist at IO Interactive, and Dan McCreadie has joined AstroNomad Studios as lead game designer. Sól Rós Hlynsdóttir has been promoted to associate brand manager at IO Interactive, capping off a busy period of appointments and transitions in the games industry.