Keeping up with the flow of hires, promotions and departures across the gaming sector can be a real challenge, which is why we publish regular round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy movements. If you know of a new appointment or a transition that belongs in this list, please email the individual's name, new title, new company, as well as their previous role and employer to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Nate Nanzer has departed Epic Games after a seven‑year tenure to assume the role of Executive Vice President, head of Commercial & Marketing at Paramount Games.
During his time at Epic, Nanzer held several senior positions, most recently serving as Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Monetisation, where he oversaw strategic alliances and revenue‑generation initiatives for the company's flagship titles. "The ambition and vision for what lies ahead at Paramount are incredibly compelling," Nanzer said. "My career has always sat at the crossroads of gaming, broader entertainment and passionate fan communities, and the chance to help shape the next chapter for a brand as iconic as Paramount was simply too exciting to turn down." "I’m deeply grateful to my colleagues at Epic and to the many partners I’ve collaborated with over the years. We built some truly memorable experiences together, and I’ll be cheering the team on from the sidelines," he added.
In other news, Amazon Gaming announces that Julia Gutnik will lead its media operations as Head of Media. Gutnik brings a rich background in automotive advertising and entertainment tech, having most recently served as Head of Media, Social & Analytics at Kia America.
Prior to that she spent over six years at Prime Video and Amazon Studios, where she led digital and ad‑tech media functions. "After two years in the auto sector, I’m thrilled to return to my roots in entertainment and to the organization that helped shape my career as a global marketing leader," Gutnik explained. Studio MDHR welcomes Lorna Antoniazzi as its new Art Producer. Antoniazzi previously worked as a producer at Roarty Digital, contributing to high‑profile collaborations such as Fortnite Battle Royale and the Lego‑themed Fortnite experience.
Her expertise in bridging art direction and production pipelines is expected to bolster Studio MDHR's upcoming projects. Grand Games has named Aysu Kutbay as Product Manager. Kutbay joins from Rollic, where she led product initiatives for mobile titles, bringing valuable experience in user acquisition and live‑ops management. David Bailey is back at Games Workshop, this time as Lead Commercial Manager – Licensing.
Bailey first joined the company in 2019 as Senior Licensing Manager, left in 2021 to become Director of Business Affairs at Sumo Digital, and now returns to help drive licensing opportunities across the expansive Warhammer universe. "It’s a privilege to re‑engage with the rich, evergreen Warhammer IP and to spearhead new licensing ventures," Bailey said. "I’m excited to be back among such talented colleagues." Liana Murphy steps into the role of Account Director for US Operations at Second Stage.
Murphy previously held dual responsibilities as COO and Head of PR at Vicariously and V Publishing, where she oversaw agency operations and high‑profile public‑relations campaigns for gaming clients. Amazon Luna announces Tim Coombs as Head of Brand Marketing. Coombs most recently served as Director of Brand Management at Xbox, a position he held until July 2026 after joining the division in 2020 as Senior Manager for Brand Strategy.
Earlier in his career he led product marketing for Amazon Lumberyard (2017) and later for Amazon Game Tech, where he helped shape the company’s developer tools and community outreach. After three years as Senior Director of Business Development for Digital Gaming at Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast, Erik Mogensen has left the firm. Mogensen spent 23 years at Games Workshop, culminating in the role of Head of Business Development and Consumer Product Licensing, where he managed partnerships for brands such as Warhammer, Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering and Transformers. "Working on the brands I grew up with has been a dream come true, and I’m eager to see what the next chapter holds," he reflected.
Blizzard Entertainment adds Ryan Rubin as Senior Producer. Rubin’s background includes senior production roles at Netflix, where he helped launch mobile experiences for Squid Game: Unleashed and Selling Sunset, as well as five years at Riot Games contributing to creative development for the League of Legends franchise. Battlestate Games appoints Andrey Odintsov as Head of Marketing. Odintsov previously managed user acquisition at Multicast Games and currently operates as an independent growth and go‑to‑market consultant for various game publishers.
Frontier Developments welcomes Dan Lazarides as Chief Marketing Officer. Lazarides arrives from Sega Europe, where he served as Senior Vice President of Marketing, and replaces Jo Cooke, who moved into the CEO role earlier this year. "Dan brings deep experience with some of the industry’s biggest IPs," said Cooke. "His leadership will keep Frontier’s momentum strong and reinforce our player‑first philosophy, ensuring our publishing team champions community creativity." Kalypso Media UK announces Karen Ionescu as Digital Sales Manager.
Ionescu’s resume includes sales leadership at Numskull Games, as well as roles at Nintendo and Rising Star Games, giving her a broad network across both retail and digital distribution channels. Managing Director Andrew Johnson praised her: "Karen’s extensive commercial expertise and long‑standing relationships make her a valuable addition to our team." Swipe Right, the esports and gaming communications agency, promotes Hannah Barrett to Senior Account Executive after she joined as an Account Executive in December 2025. Barrett’s promotion reflects her rapid growth and client‑facing success within the firm. Supercell names Anni Pyy as Contract Manager.
Pyy previously held the same position at Metacore for four years, overseeing legal and partnership agreements for the developer’s mobile portfolio. Fintech platform ZBD appoints Nathan Solbrandt as Senior Vice President of Business Development.
Solbrandt brings prior experience as Senior Account Executive at Motorica and as Vice President of Business Development for the Americas at Xsolla. Riot Games adds Olivia Lee as Internal Events Producer.
Lee previously served as Associate Producer for internal events and programs, coordinating large‑scale employee initiatives and community‑building activities. Xsolla welcomes Ciarah Pritchard as Account Coordinator. Pritchard comes from Playback Rewards, where she was an Account Performance Manager responsible for client analytics and revenue optimisation.
Bethesda reinstates Tracey Thompson as Vice President of Communications. Thompson originally joined Bethesda in 2009 as Director of Publications, later becoming Associate VP of Communications before departing for Electronic Arts in 2019. She returns with a mandate to support the communications strategy for Bethesda’s flagship franchises across Xbox and Microsoft. Nintendo of America hires Maddie Richter as Social Media Marketing Manager.
Richter’s prior role was Social Media Manager at Alaska Airlines, where she managed brand storytelling and community engagement on multiple platforms. Yotta Games adds narrative talent Dana Duffield as a Narrative Designer. Duffield previously served as Senior Narrative Designer at Series Entertainment, crafting storylines and character arcs for mobile and console titles. The Yogscast Games team expands with three new hires: Charlotte Willis as PR and Influencer Manager (formerly Creator and Community Director at Diva Agency), Robin Mawhinney as Production Coordinator (previously Junior Producer at Atelier 11), and Charlotte Pang as Publishing Coordinator (with a background in production, animation and teaching at Submarine Art School and The Code Zone).
Roblox’s Foundation AI division welcomes Steffen Holm and Chris Kruger to support the mobile‑first AI creation tool Build in New Zealand. Holm and Kruger co‑founded Jars AI in 2023, raising $3.5 million from Google and other investors to develop interactive AI experiences for creators.
Rockstar Games brings on Sathvik Sudireddy as Marketing Manager for Live Services. Sudireddy previously managed product responsibilities on Call of Duty at Activision after completing a business‑development internship at the studio. Netflix Games appoints Joe Chard as Lead Product Manager. Chard’s extensive background includes a six‑year stint as Vice President, Studio General Manager and Head of Product at Jam City, as well as senior roles at The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros.
Entertainment. These appointments highlight the dynamic nature of talent movement within the gaming industry, illustrating how experienced professionals continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment across development, publishing, marketing and technology.