Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, exits, and promotions in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that gather all the noteworthy moves in one place. If you know of a colleague who has taken on a new role or left a company, feel free to email the details (name, new title, new organization, previous title, and previous organization) to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Amir Satvat has taken on the role of General Partner at 1Up Ventures.
Before this, he spent several years at Tencent Games where he was the Business Development Director, overseeing partnership strategy and market expansion. Satvat is also the founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative that helps aspiring developers and industry professionals locate employment opportunities across the sector. "I wanted a position where I could see a direct line between my actions and the impact on a team, and where I could help people get back to work," Satvat explained.
"I aim to turn more people’s dreams of creating games into reality through my own contributions. I also hoped to work in an environment that focuses on smaller studios, because I have a genuine love for that scale of development, and in a culture that puts community first." He added, "My final wish was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I strive for.
Accepting the invitation from 1Up means all of those wishes are coming true." Satvat also praised 1Up, saying, "1Up is a pivotal player in the games ecosystem, and I want its distinctive approach to game investing to endure for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced that he will leave 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. He plans to stay in the United Kingdom and aims to launch his own studio in 2027, promising more details when the timing is right.
Take‑Two Interactive has named Giles Derrington as Director of Global Affairs for the UK. Derrington previously served as Head of Public Affairs for TikTok in the United Kingdom, where he managed government relations and policy strategy. Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive. Pearce first joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor, moving up to People Partner in 2024 before receiving her current senior title.
Shreya Godha was elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as Associate Producer with the developer. Her new responsibilities include overseeing project timelines, coordinating cross‑functional teams, and ensuring that product milestones are met. Epic Games appointed Kelly Ekins as Director of Communications. Ekins previously held the role of Senior Director of Global PR for Unity’s Games and Made with Unity program.
She entered Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment after a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal, where she was Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications. Housemarque co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen stepped down after an impressive 31‑year career with the studio. Kuittinen co‑founded Housemarque in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen after merging their respective companies, Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Reflecting on his legacy, Kuittinen said, "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate.
We were in the right place at the right time during 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 planned this leadership transition carefully behind the scenes. On July 1, Sami 'Haxu' Hakala officially assumed the Managing Director role, and I have continued supporting him and the leadership team until today to ensure complete operational continuity and stability. Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in exceptional hands." Tamara Feiman has been appointed CEO of Lion Studios, the publishing arm of Tripledot Studios.
Feiman previously served as Publishing General Manager and began her career at Lion Studios in 2020 as EMEA Business Development Lead. "I joined Lion six years ago," Feiman said.
"Since then, I’ve had the privilege of growing alongside the company through its biggest successes, challenges and transformations. What makes Lion special is how we collaborate with our partner studios. Together we take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." Feiman emphasized the collective nature of the organization: "Lion has never been about one person. I’m fortunate to work alongside an incredible team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners around the world." Heather Sangria joined Sega of America as Community Manager.
Sangria previously worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a digital strategy and community management role at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen was promoted to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. Chen originally joined the company as a Financial Analyst in 2020 and later moved into product management before earning her senior title.
Scot McCarron also received a promotion, becoming Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. McCarron has been with Activision since 2018, initially serving as Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises before advancing to Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty portfolio. These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting how experienced professionals continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment through new challenges and leadership opportunities.