Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, departures and other personnel moves in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that gather all of the notable changes in one place. If you know of a new appointment, a transition, or a departure that belongs in this list, please forward the name, new title, new company, and previous role and employer to newhires@gamesindustry.biz.
Amir Satvat has taken on the role of General Partner at 1Up Ventures. Before joining the venture‑capital firm, Satvat was the Business Development Director for Tencent Games, where he helped shape strategic partnerships and expansion initiatives. He also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an organization that connects job‑seekers with opportunities across the gaming industry. "I wanted a role where the impact of my decisions would be felt directly by the teams I work with, and where I could help get people back to work on games they love," Satvat explained.
"I’m passionate about turning developers' dreams into reality, especially for smaller studios that often struggle to find the right backers. I also wanted to be part of a community‑first environment." He added, "My final wish was to work alongside colleagues who share the same values and integrity I strive for.
Accepting the invitation to join 1Up feels like all those wishes are coming true." Satvat also praised 1Up's unique position in the ecosystem: "1Up is a crucial player in the games investing landscape, and I hope its distinctive approach endures for many years to come." Lasse Seppänen announced that he will leave Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He started at 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 to share 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 regulatory relationships and government engagement.
Jess Pearce earned a promotion at Kepler Interactive, moving from People Partner to Senior People Partner. Pearce first joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and progressed to the People Partner role in 2024, overseeing talent acquisition and employee development.
Shreya Godha has been elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as Associate Producer. In her new capacity she will lead project timelines, coordinate cross‑functional teams, and help shape the studio’s mobile‑gaming portfolio.
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.
Prior to Unity, she spent several years at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Marketing and Communications, and she began her career at Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment. Housemarque’s co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen stepped down after 31 years with the studio.
Kuittinen co‑founded Housemarque in 1995 together with Harri Tikkanen after merging their previous companies, Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Reflecting on his long career, Kuittinen said, "We were incredibly fortunate to be in the right place at the right time throughout three decades of rapid industry growth. This allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before becoming part of PlayStation Studios." He continued, "The leadership transition has been carefully planned behind the scenes. On July 1, Sami ‘Haxu’ Hakala officially assumed the Managing Director role, and I have continued to support him and the rest of 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 the EMEA Business Development Lead and later became Publishing General Manager.
"I joined Lion six years ago and have had the privilege of growing with the company through its biggest successes, challenges, and transformations," Feiman said. "What makes Lion special is our collaborative approach with partner studios – we take risks together, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games that reach millions of players." She added, "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 around the world." Heather Sangria has joined Sega of America as Community Manager.
Prior to Sega, Sangria worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a digital‑strategy role at Undead Labs, where she managed community engagement and content creation. Emily Rose Chen received a promotion at Activision Blizzard, becoming Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty. Chen originally joined the company in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, later moving into product management and now overseeing key features and live‑service updates for the franchise. Scot McCarron also advanced within Activision Blizzard, stepping into the role of Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty.
McCarron first arrived at Activision in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises, later becoming Director of Product Management for Call of Duty before earning his current senior title. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow in the gaming sector, where seasoned veterans and rising stars alike continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment.