Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions across the gaming sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we put together periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves in one convenient place.
If you know of any recent appointments or transitions that belong in this list, please forward the name of the individual, the new title and 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 at Tencent Games, where he helped shape the company’s strategic partnerships and growth initiatives.
Satvat also founded and leads Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to helping job seekers find positions within the gaming industry. "I wanted a more direct 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 people's dreams of creating games into reality. I also wanted to work in an environment that focuses on smaller studios, because I have a genuine love 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.
By accepting 1Up’s invitation, I see all of those aspirations 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 as long as possible." In other news, Lasse Seppänen announced his exit from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined the Finnish powerhouse in 2019 as a producer and later held senior positions such as Head of Game Production Services and General Manager of Supercell London.
"It’s time for me to return to my passion for creating new game IPs," Seppänen said. "I’ll stay in the UK, and in 2027 I plan to launch my own studio again – more details will come 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 the platform’s regulatory and policy engagement. At Kepler Interactive, Jess Pearce has been promoted to Senior People Partner.
Pearce originally joined Kepler as a People Advisor in 2022 and moved up to People Partner in 2024, playing a key role in talent acquisition and employee development. PlaySimple Games announced the promotion of Shreya Godha to Producer. Godha had been an Associate Producer with the studio and will now oversee larger production responsibilities. Epic Games named 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 that, she joined Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment after a stint at Warner Bros.
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 career at the studio.
Kuittinen co‑founded Housemarque with Harri Tikkanen in 1995 following the merger of their companies Bloodhouse and Terramarque. "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate," Kuittinen reflected. "We were in the right place at the right time for three decades of remarkable 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 seamless operational continuity. Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in excellent hands." Tamara Feiman has been named CEO of Lion Studios, a division of Tripledot Studios.
Feiman previously served as Publishing General Manager, having started at Lion Studios in 2020 as the EMEA Business Development Lead. "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 the way we collaborate with our partner studios.
Together we take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." "Lion has never been about a single individual. I’m fortunate to work with an extraordinary team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners worldwide," she continued. Sega of America has added 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 management role at Undead Labs. 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 before earning the senior title.
Scot McCarron has also been elevated, now serving as 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 became Director of Product Management for the Call of Duty franchise. These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, where seasoned veterans and rising stars alike continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment. Whether it’s seasoned executives transitioning to new challenges, founders stepping back after decades of stewardship, or emerging leaders taking on greater responsibilities, each change contributes to the evolving landscape of game development, publishing, and community engagement.
The industry’s health depends on such fluidity, as fresh perspectives and seasoned expertise combine to drive innovation, foster creative risk‑taking, and ensure that players worldwide continue to receive compelling experiences.