Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions in the video‑game sector can be a daunting task. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that gather all of the notable personnel changes in one place.
If you know of any new appointments or role changes that belong in this list, please forward the name, new title, new organization, as well as the previous position and company to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Amir Satvat has taken on the role of General Partner at 1Up Ventures. Before this move, Satvat was the Business Development Director at Tencent Games, where he helped shape the publisher’s strategic partnerships. He also founded and leads Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative dedicated to helping job seekers find opportunities within the gaming industry.
"I wanted a role where the impact of my work could be felt directly by a team and where I could help people get back to work," Satvat explained. "I wanted to turn more people's aspirations of creating games into reality through my actions.
I also hoped to work in an environment that focuses on smaller studios, because I’m passionate about games of that scale, and that puts community first." He added, "My ultimate goal was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I strive for. Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those wishes are coming together." Satvat also praised 1Up’s position in the ecosystem, stating, "1Up is a crucial player in the games landscape, and I want its distinctive approach to game investing to endure for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced his departure 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. "It’s time for me to return to my passion for creating new game 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 moment 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 the platform’s government‑relations strategy.
Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive. Pearce originally joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and moved up to People Partner in 2024 before receiving the senior title. Shreya Godha was promoted to Producer at PlaySimple Games after previously serving as an Associate Producer within the studio.
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 time at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications, and she entered Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment. Ilari Kuittinen, co‑founder and Managing Director of Housemarque, stepped down after 31 years with the studio.
Kuittinen co‑founded Housemarque in 1995 together with Harri Tikkanen after merging their respective companies, Bloodhouse and Terramarque. "Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate," Kuittinen reflected. "We were in the right place at the right time across three decades of remarkable 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 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 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 the 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’ve taken risks, learned quickly, and turned great ideas into games enjoyed by millions." "Lion has never been about a single person. I’m fortunate to work with an extraordinary team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners worldwide," she added.
Heather Sangria has taken on the role of Community Manager at Sega of America. Prior to this, 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 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 the senior title.
Scot McCarron also received a promotion, becoming Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. McCarron previously served as Director of Product Management on the franchise after joining Activision in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both seasoned veterans transitioning to new challenges and rising stars stepping into greater responsibilities.
The continued exchange of expertise helps drive innovation, supports the growth of emerging studios, and ensures that the industry remains vibrant and forward‑looking.