Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions in the video‑game sector can be a daunting task. To make life easier for industry watchers, we put together periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves. If you know of any new appointments or transitions that belong in this list, please forward the individual's name, new title, and company, along with their 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. Satvat also founded and runs the initiative Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to helping professionals locate jobs within the gaming field.
"I wanted a position where I could see a more immediate impact on the people I work with and actually help get talent back into development," Satvat explained. "My goal has always been to turn more creators' aspirations into reality, especially for smaller studios that I’m passionate about. I also wanted to be part of an organization that puts community first." 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 aligning." Satvat added, "1Up plays a crucial role in the gaming ecosystem, and I hope its distinctive investment philosophy endures for many years to come." Lasse Seppänen announced his departure from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure.
He joined the Finnish powerhouse in 2019 as a producer and later held several 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 game IPs," Seppänen said.
"I’ll remain in the UK, and I plan to launch my own studio in 2027 – I’ll share more details when the timing is right." Take‑Two Interactive has named Giles Derrington as Director of Global Affairs for the United Kingdom. Derrington previously served as Head of Public Affairs UK at TikTok, where he managed the platform’s regulatory and government‑relations strategy. Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive. Pearce originally joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and moved up to People Partner in 2024, overseeing talent acquisition and employee development.
Shreya Godha was promoted to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as Associate Producer for the developer. In her new capacity, she will lead project timelines, coordinate cross‑functional teams, and ensure the delivery of high‑quality mobile titles.
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. Prior to Unity, she spent time at Warner Bros. Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Marketing and Communications, where she directed global campaigns for major releases.
Housemarque co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen stepped down after a remarkable 31‑year run. Kuittinen co‑founded the studio with Harri Tikkanen in 1995 after merging their companies Bloodhouse and Terramarque. "Looking back, I feel incredibly fortunate," Kuittinen reflected. "We were in the right place at the right time throughout three decades of explosive industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." "The leadership transition has been carefully planned behind the scenes.
On July 1, Sami ‘Haxu’ Hakala officially assumed the Managing Director role, and I have continued to support him and the rest of the leadership team to ensure seamless operational continuity. Housemarque’s strategic direction 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 in 2020 as 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." "Lion has never been about a single person.
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 added. 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 she also held a Digital Strategy and Community Manager role at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen was promoted to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. Chen started at Activision in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, moved into product management, and has now taken on senior responsibilities for the flagship franchise. Scot McCarron received a promotion to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard.
McCarron originally joined the company in 2018 as Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises, later becoming Director of Product Management on Call of Duty before his latest elevation. 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.