Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across the video‑game sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we publish these periodic round‑ups, gathering the most noteworthy personnel moves in one convenient place.
If you know of a recent appointment or a transition that belongs in this list, please forward the name, new title, new company, as well as the 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 for Tencent Games, where he helped shape the publisher’s strategic initiatives across multiple regions. Satvat also founded and runs the Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative that assists job‑seekers in finding positions throughout the industry.
"I wanted a more immediate 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 making games into reality.
I also hoped to work in an environment that focuses on smaller studios, because I have a deep affection for games of that scale, and I value a community‑first culture." He added, "My final wish was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I hold myself to. Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those wishes are finally aligning." Satvat also praised 1Up’s role in the broader ecosystem: "1Up is a crucial player in the games landscape, and I want its distinctive approach to investing in studios to endure for as long as possible." After seven years at Supercell, Lasse Seppänen announced his departure. He joined the Finnish powerhouse in 2019 as a producer and subsequently held senior positions, including 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. He plans to remain 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, bringing extensive experience in regulatory and governmental relations to his new role. Kepler Interactive promoted Jess Pearce to Senior People Partner. Pearce entered Kepler as a People Advisor in 2022 and moved up to People Partner in 2024, reflecting her growing influence on the company’s talent strategy. Shreya Godha earned a promotion to Producer at PlaySimple Games, after serving as an Associate Producer with the studio.
Her elevation underscores PlaySimple’s commitment to developing internal talent. Epic Games announced Kelly Ekins as its new 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 led marketing for media and entertainment at Unity after a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications.
After more than three decades at Housemarque, co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen stepped down. Kuittinen co‑founded the studio in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen, merging their earlier ventures Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Reflecting on his tenure, Kuittinen said, "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate. We were in the right place at the right time for 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 been planning 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 began her career at Lion in 2020 as the EMEA Business Development Lead and later served as Publishing General Manager.
"I joined Lion six years ago," she noted. "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 work with our partner studios. Together we take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." Feiman added, "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." Sega of America welcomed Heather Sangria 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 role at Undead Labs.
Activision Blizzard promoted Emily Rose Chen to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty. Chen started at the company in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, later moving into product management before earning this senior title. Scot McCarron also received a promotion at Activision Blizzard, becoming Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty.
McCarron originally joined the firm in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises and later served as Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty series. These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both the rise of new leaders and the departure of seasoned veterans who continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment.