Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across the video‑game sector can be a daunting task. To help industry professionals stay informed, we publish periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves. If you know of a change—whether it’s a new appointment, a transition, or an exit—please forward the relevant details (name, new role, new company, former role, former company) 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 helped shape the company’s strategic partnerships and expansion initiatives. Satvat also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an organization dedicated to assisting job‑seekers in finding positions within the gaming industry. "I wanted to feel a more direct connection between the things I could influence and do with a team and putting people back to work," Satvat explained.
"I wanted to see more people's dreams of making games come true because of something I did. I also hoped I could work in a setting focused on smaller studios, because I love games of that size so much, and in a setting built around community first." He continued, "My final wish was to work with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I try to hold myself to.
In accepting the team’s invitation to join 1Up, I am seeing all of these wishes realised." Satvat added that he views 1Up as a crucial player in the broader games ecosystem and hopes its distinctive investment philosophy endures for many years. Lasse Seppänen announced his exit from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure.
He arrived at 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. "Now it's time to follow my passion for creating new game IPs again," 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 media relations and regulatory navigation to his new role at the major publisher. Kepler Interactive promoted Jess Pearce to Senior People Partner.
Pearce joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor, progressed to People Partner in 2024, and now oversees senior talent initiatives across the organization. PlaySimple Games elevated Shreya Godha to the position of Producer. Godha, who started as an Associate Producer, has demonstrated strong project‑management skills and a keen eye for user‑centric design, earning her the promotion.
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.
Her earlier experience includes a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications, giving her a broad perspective on industry messaging. After 31 years at Housemarque, co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen stepped down.
Kuittinen co‑established Housemarque in 1995 after merging his company Bloodhouse with Harri Tikkanen’s Terramarque. Reflecting on his career, he said, "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate. We had the luck of being in the right place at the right time during three decades of incredible industry growth, allowing us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before finding a home within the PlayStation Studios family." He added that the leadership transition had been carefully planned: on July 1, Sami "Haxu" Hakala officially assumed the Managing Director role, and Kuittinen continued to support him and the executive team to ensure a smooth handover and operational stability. "Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in exceptional hands," Kuittinen affirmed.
Tamara Feiman has been named Chief Executive Officer of Lion Studios, a division of Tripledot Studios. Feiman’s background includes serving as Publishing General Manager and starting her career at Lion Studios in 2020 as the EMEA Business Development Lead.
"I joined Lion six years ago," she said. "Since then, I've had the privilege of growing alongside the company through its biggest successes, challenges and transformations. What has always made Lion special is how we work with our partner studios.
Together, we've taken risks, learned quickly and turned great ideas into games played by millions." Feiman emphasized the collaborative nature of Lion’s culture: "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 acted as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a digital strategy and community management role at Undead Labs, giving her a solid foundation in audience engagement.
Activision Blizzard promoted Emily Rose Chen to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty. Chen began her career at the company as a Financial Analyst in 2020, later moving into product management where she contributed to several key titles before earning this senior position. In a similar vein, Scot McCarron advanced to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard.
McCarron joined the firm in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises, later becoming Director of Product Management for the flagship series, and now oversees the broader product strategy for the franchise. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both the emergence of new leadership and the evolution of seasoned professionals into more strategic roles.
The continued reshuffling underscores how companies are investing in expertise that aligns with their long‑term visions, whether that means nurturing indie studios, expanding global affairs capabilities, or strengthening community and communication functions. As the industry grows, staying informed about these personnel changes offers valuable insight into where the market is heading and which organizations are positioning themselves for future success.