Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across the gaming sector can be a daunting task. That’s why we publish these periodic round‑ups, gathering the most noteworthy personnel moves in one convenient place. If you know of a transition that belongs in this list—whether it’s a new appointment, a promotion, or an exit—please forward the relevant details (name, new title, new company, and previous role and employer) to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Amir Satvat has taken on the role of General Partner at 1Up Ventures.
Before this, he was the Business Development Director at Tencent Games, where he helped shape the company’s strategic partnerships and expansion initiatives. In addition to his corporate experience, Satvat founded and leads the community‑focused organization Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), which serves as a hub for job seekers and professionals looking to break into the games industry.
"I wanted a position where I could see a direct line between the decisions I make and the impact they have on getting people back to work," Satvat explained. "My goal is to help turn more developers' dreams of creating games into reality. I also wanted to be part of an environment that champions smaller studios, because I have a genuine passion for games of that scale, and I value a community‑first culture." He continued, "My final wish was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity that I strive for.
Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those wishes are finally coming together." Satvat added, "1Up plays a crucial role in the broader games ecosystem, and I’m eager to see its distinctive investment philosophy endure for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced his departure from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined the Finnish publisher in 2019 as a producer and later held several 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 game IPs," Seppänen said. "I’ll remain in the UK, and in 2027 I plan to launch my own studio again—more details will follow when the timing is right." Take‑Two Interactive has appointed 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 relationships and government outreach. At Kepler Interactive, Jess Pearce has been promoted to Senior People Partner. Pearce first joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor, advancing to People Partner in 2024 before receiving her current senior title. PlaySimple Games announced the promotion of Shreya Godha to Producer.
Godha had been working as an Associate Producer with the developer before earning the new role. Epic Games named 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.
Her career at Unity began in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment after a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications. 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 after merging their respective 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 for three decades of extraordinary industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." 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 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 remarked. "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." 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." Sega of America welcomed Heather Sangria as its Community Manager.
Sangria previously worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a digital strategy and community management role at Undead Labs. Activision Blizzard promoted Emily Rose Chen to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty.
Chen originally joined the company as a Financial Analyst in 2020 and later moved into product management before earning her current senior title. Activision Blizzard also elevated Scot McCarron to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty. McCarron started at 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 promotion. These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent within the gaming industry, where seasoned veterans transition to new challenges, rising stars climb the corporate ladder, and founders step aside to make way for fresh leadership.
The continued flow of expertise helps drive innovation, supports the growth of indie studios, and ensures that major publishers remain agile in a rapidly evolving market.