Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across the games sector can be a daunting task. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel movements. If you know of a transition that belongs in this list—whether a new appointment, a promotion, or a departure—please forward the name, new title, new company, and previous role 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 strategic partnerships and expansion initiatives. Satvat also founded and leads Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to connecting job seekers with opportunities throughout the gaming industry.
"I wanted a role 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 dreams of creating games into reality. I’m also drawn to smaller studios because I love the creativity and agility they bring, and I wanted to be part of a community‑first environment." He continued, "My final wish was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I hold myself to.
Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those wishes are coming together." Satvat added, "1Up plays a crucial role in the gaming ecosystem, and I’m eager to help preserve its unique investment approach for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced his departure from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined Supercell 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 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 appointed Giles Derrington as Director of Global Affairs for the UK. Derrington previously served as Head of Public Affairs UK at TikTok, where he managed regulatory and policy relationships across the region. Jess Pearce received a promotion at Kepler Interactive, moving up to Senior People Partner.
Pearce originally joined Kepler as a People Advisor in 2022 and advanced to People Partner in 2024, overseeing talent strategy and employee development. Shreya Godha was elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an Associate Producer.
In her new role, Godha will lead production pipelines and coordinate cross‑functional teams to deliver mobile titles. Epic Games announced 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.
Prior to Unity, she spent time at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications, and began her Unity career in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment. Housemarque co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen is stepping down after 31 years with the studio. Kuittinen co‑founded Housemarque in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen, merging their previous 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 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 supporting 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, the publishing arm of Tripledot Studios. Feiman previously served as Publishing General Manager and began her career at Lion Studios in 2020 as 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 partner studios—taking risks, learning quickly, and turning great ideas into games played by millions." "Lion has never been about a single person.
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," she continued. 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 role at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen earned 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 assuming her senior role. Scot McCarron was promoted to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty, also at Activision Blizzard. McCarron joined the company in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises and later served as Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty franchise.
These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent within the gaming industry, highlighting both the emergence of new leadership and the evolution of seasoned professionals into fresh challenges. The industry continues to thrive on the exchange of ideas, the pursuit of innovative projects, and the dedication of individuals who shape the future of interactive entertainment.