Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, 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 personnel moves in one place.
If you know of a new appointment or a transition that belongs in this list, please forward the individual's name, new title, new company, 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 at Tencent Games, where he helped shape the company’s growth strategies across multiple markets. Satvat also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative dedicated to helping job seekers find opportunities within the gaming industry.
"I wanted a more direct link between the actions I could take and the impact on a team, especially when it comes to getting people back to work," Satvat explained. "My goal has always been to help turn more developers' dreams of creating games into reality. I also hoped to work in an environment that focuses on smaller studios, because I’m passionate about that scale of development, and one that puts community first." He continued, "My final wish was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I strive for. Accepting the invitation to join 1Up feels like all of those wishes are finally coming together." Satvat added, "1Up plays a crucial role in the broader games ecosystem, and I’m eager to see its distinctive investment approach thrive for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced his exit from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure.
He joined the company in 2019 as a producer and later held senior positions such as Head of Game Production Services and General Manager of Supercell London. "Now it’s time to return to my passion for creating new IPs," Seppänen said. "I’ll stay in the UK, and in 2027 I plan to launch my own studio again – I’ll share more details when the time 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 oversaw government relations and policy strategy. Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive. Pearce originally joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and advanced to People Partner in 2024 before receiving the senior title.
Shreya Godha moved up to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an Associate Producer with the developer. Epic Games appointed Kelly Ekins as Director of Communications. Ekins comes from Unity, where she was Senior Director of Global PR for the Games and Made with Unity program. Before that, she joined Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment, following a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications.
Ilari Kuittinen, co‑founder and Managing Director of Housemarque, stepped down after 31 years. Kuittinen co‑started Housemarque in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen after merging their studios, Bloodhouse and Terramarque.
"Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate," Kuittinen reflected. "We were in the right place at the right time for three decades of industry growth, which let us stay independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." He added, "We have carefully planned this leadership transition. 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 smooth operational continuity.
Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in excellent hands." Tamara Feiman has been appointed CEO of Lion Studios, the publishing arm of Tripledot Studios. Feiman began her career at Lion in 2020 as EMEA Business Development Lead and later became Publishing General Manager. "I joined Lion six years ago," Feiman said.
"Since then I’ve had the privilege of growing with the company through its biggest successes, challenges, and transformations. What makes Lion special is how we collaborate with partner studios.
Together we take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." She continued, "Lion has never been about a single person. 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 taken the role of Community Manager at Sega of America. Previously she worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead for One More Game and held a Digital Strategy and Community Manager position at Undead Labs.
Emily Rose Chen was promoted to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. Chen started at Activision in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, later moving into product management before earning the senior title. Scot McCarron also received a promotion, becoming Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. McCarron joined the company in 2018 as Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises and later served as Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty franchise before his latest elevation.
These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both seasoned veterans stepping into new leadership roles and emerging professionals climbing the corporate ladder. The continued reshuffling of expertise ensures fresh perspectives across studios, publishers, and service providers, ultimately driving innovation and growth in the sector.