Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures in the video‑game sector can be a daunting task. To make it easier for industry observers, we publish periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves. If you know of a recent appointment or a transition that belongs in this list, please forward the individual's name, new title, new organization, as well as their previous role and employer to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Amir Satvat has taken on the role of General Partner at 1Up Ventures.
Prior to this, he was the Business Development Director for Tencent Games, where he helped shape the company’s strategic growth initiatives. Satvat is also the founder and driving force behind Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to helping job seekers find positions within the gaming sector. "I wanted a role where I could see a direct link between the actions I take and the impact on a team, especially when that impact translates into people getting back to work," Satvat explained.
"I’m passionate about turning more developers' dreams of creating games into reality, and I felt that a focus on smaller studios would let me work with the type of games I love most—those that are intimate, innovative, and community‑centric. My final goal was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I hold dear.
Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all of those aspirations are finally aligning." He added, "1Up plays a crucial role in the broader games ecosystem, and I’m eager to help ensure its distinctive investment philosophy endures for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced his departure from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined the Finnish powerhouse in 2019 as a producer and later held senior positions such as Head of Game Production Services and General Manager of Supercell London. "It’s time for me to return to my passion for creating new IPs," Seppänen said. "I’ll remain based in the UK, and in 2027 I plan to launch my own studio again—more details will follow when the moment is right." Take‑Two Interactive has named Giles Derrington as Director of Global Affairs for the UK market.
Derrington previously served as Head of Public Affairs for TikTok in the United Kingdom, where he oversaw the platform’s regulatory and governmental engagement. Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive.
Pearce first joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and was elevated to People Partner in 2024 before receiving her current senior title. Shreya Godha was promoted to Producer at PlaySimple Games, moving up from her prior role as Associate Producer within the same development studio. Epic Games has appointed Kelly Ekins as its new Director of Communications.
Ekins brings experience from Unity, where she served as Senior Director of Global PR for the Games and Made with Unity program. Before Unity, she led marketing for media and entertainment at the company (starting in 2018) after a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications.
Ilari Kuittinen, co‑founder and Managing Director of Housemarque, is stepping down after an impressive 31‑year career with the studio. Kuittinen helped launch Housemarque in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen after merging their respective companies, Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Reflecting on his tenure, Kuittinen said, "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate. We were in the right place at the right time for three decades of extraordinary industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." He continued, "We have carefully planned this leadership transition behind the scenes.
On July 1, Sami ‘Haxu’ Hakala officially assumed the Managing Director role, and I have continued to support him and the leadership team to ensure seamless operational continuity. Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are now in excellent hands." Tamara Feiman has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Lion Studios, the publishing arm of Tripledot Studios. Feiman’s career at Lion began in 2020 as the EMEA Business Development Lead, later advancing to Publishing General Manager. "I joined Lion six years ago," Feiman remarked.
"Since then, I’ve had the privilege of growing alongside the company through its biggest successes, challenges, and transformations. What makes Lion special is our collaborative approach with partner studios.
Together we’ve taken risks, learned quickly, and turned great ideas into games enjoyed by millions." She added, "Lion has never been about a single individual. I’m fortunate to work with an incredible team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners worldwide." Heather Sangria has joined Sega of America as Community Manager. Prior to this role, she worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a digital strategy and community management position at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen received a promotion to Senior Product Manager for the Call of Duty franchise at Activision Blizzard.
Chen originally joined the company in 2020 as a Financial Analyst before moving into product management. Scot McCarron was elevated to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard.
McCarron began his Activision career in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises, later becoming Director of Product Management for the Call of Duty series. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both seasoned veterans stepping into new challenges and emerging leaders rising through the ranks. The continual reshuffling of expertise helps drive innovation, ensures fresh perspectives, and sustains the vibrant ecosystem that brings interactive entertainment to players worldwide.