GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit Explores Mental Wellness, Leadership, and Education

The GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit has expanded its lineup with the addition of four new speakers. The event is set to take place at BAFTA's London headquarters on Wednesday, September 27th, with tickets available for purchase. Former EA Criterion studio head Steve Cuss will deliver a talk titled 'Creating hyper-engaged and healthy teams: the leaders' role,' drawing from his three decades of experience in running games teams, including 20 years at EA, where he worked on notable franchises such as Burnout, Battlefield, and FIFA. Cuss recently left Criterion to establish The GamePlan Consultancy. Joining Cuss will be ustwo games' head of People and Culture, Julie Piedrabuena, who will host a session titled 'Balancing pixels and peace of mind.' Piedrabuena, a seasoned HR professional with an academic background in psychology, has worked across various industries, specializing in culture, wellbeing, and inclusion, and has driven significant mental health initiatives at ustwo games, a certified B-Corp. GamesIndustry.biz will also host a panel discussion on how games companies are collaborating with educational institutions to develop the next generation of talent, featuring speakers such as Creative Assembly's head of talent, Emma Smith, and nDreams' chief people officer, Tamsin O’Luanaigh. These new speakers will join Ubisoft's Chief People Officer, Anika Grant, GapSquare CEO, Dr. Zara Nanu, communications leader, Cat Channon, Hutch Games' head of people, Charmaine Clavier-St John, and organizational psychologist, Graham McAllister. Additional speakers will be announced in the coming weeks, and Lighthouse Games has been added as a new sponsor, joining partners Amiqus and Rocksteady. The conference will feature two tracks and conclude at 1 pm, followed by a networking lunch and the 2023 UK Best Places To Work Awards. Tickets to the HR Summit include access to the lunch and awards, and can be purchased online. For sponsorship inquiries, please contact George.Corner@gamesindustry.biz.