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 put together these periodic round‑ups, gathering together the most noteworthy personnel moves across the industry. If you know of any recent appointments or transitions that belong in this list, please forward the name of the individual, their new title and 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 at Tencent Games, where he oversaw strategic partnerships and growth initiatives.
In addition to his corporate experience, Satvat founded and leads the initiative Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to helping job‑seekers find positions within the gaming world. "I wanted a role where the impact of my decisions could be felt directly by a team, and where I could help people get back to work," Satvat explained. "I’m passionate about turning more developers’ dreams of creating games into reality, especially within smaller studios, which I love for their agility and creativity.
I also wanted to be part of an environment that puts community first." He continued, "My final goal was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity that I strive for. Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those aspirations are finally aligning." Satvat added a broader perspective on the firm: "1Up plays a vital role in the gaming ecosystem, and I’m eager to ensure its distinctive approach to game investing endures 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, including 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 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 managed regulatory and policy engagement.
Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive. Pearce entered Kepler as a People Advisor in 2022 and advanced to People Partner in 2024, taking on broader responsibilities for talent strategy and employee experience. Shreya Godha was elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an Associate Producer for the studio.
Her new title reflects increased oversight of project timelines, cross‑functional coordination, and delivery of mobile titles. 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. She originally joined Unity in 2018 after a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal, where she led marketing and communications for the studio.
Housemarque co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen is stepping down after an impressive 31‑year run. Kuittinen co‑founded the studio in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen, following the merger of their earlier companies 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 explosive industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." He added, "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 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, having begun 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 partner studios – we take risks together, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games enjoyed by millions." "Lion has never been about a single individual. 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 continued.
Heather Sangria has become Community Manager for Sega of America. Prior to this role, Sangria 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 in 2020 as a financial analyst, later moving into product management before earning this senior title. Scot McCarron also received a promotion, now serving as Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard.
McCarron entered Activision in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises and later became Director of Product Management for the Call of Duty line. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming sector, highlighting both seasoned veterans embarking on new ventures and rising professionals stepping into greater leadership responsibilities. The industry continues to evolve rapidly, and keeping track of these personnel shifts offers insight into emerging trends, strategic priorities, and the human capital that drives game development and publishing forward.