Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, exits, and promotions in the gaming sector can be a real challenge, which is why we publish periodic round‑ups to capture the most noteworthy movements. If you know of a colleague or a team member who has recently taken on a new role or left a position, please forward the details—name, new title, new company, as well as previous title 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 company’s growth strategy across multiple markets. Satvat also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative designed to help job seekers navigate the gaming job market and connect with opportunities. "I wanted a position where I could see a direct link between the actions I 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 people’s aspirations of creating games into reality. I was also drawn to a setting that focuses on smaller studios, because I have a deep affection for indie‑scale projects, and a culture that puts community first." He continued, "My final wish 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 added, "1Up is a pivotal player in the broader games ecosystem, and I hope its distinctive approach to game investment endures for many years to come." Lasse Seppänen announced his exit from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined the company 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—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 the platform’s regulatory and governmental relationships. Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive.
Pearce first joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and moved to the People Partner role in 2024, overseeing talent strategy and employee development. Shreya Godha was elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an Associate Producer for the same developer.
In her new capacity, Godha will lead production pipelines and coordinate cross‑functional teams. Epic Games announced the appointment of 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. Before joining Unity in 2018, she held the position of Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications at Warner Brothers Games Montreal, and earlier served as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment at Unity. Ilari Kuittinen, co‑founder and Managing Director of Housemarque, stepped down after 31 years with the studio.
Kuittinen and Harri Tikkanen founded Housemarque in 1995 following the merger of their companies Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Reflecting on his career, Kuittinen said, "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate. We were in the right place at the right time throughout three decades of extraordinary industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before becoming part of PlayStation Studios." He added, "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 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 Studios in 2020 as the EMEA Business Development Lead and later served as Publishing General Manager. "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 take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." She continued, "Lion has never been about any single individual. I’m fortunate to work with an incredible team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners worldwide." Heather Sangria has joined Sega of America 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 Manager role at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen received a promotion to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard.
Chen started at Activision in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, later moving into product management before earning her current senior title. Scot McCarron was promoted to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. McCarron originally joined Activision in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises and later served as Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty franchise before his latest promotion. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both the rise of new leaders and the departure of seasoned veterans as they pursue fresh challenges and entrepreneurial endeavors.