Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves across the industry. If you know of a new appointment or a transition that belongs in this list, please forward the individual's name, new title, new company, as well as 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 for Tencent Games, where he oversaw partnership strategy and growth initiatives. Satvat also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an organization dedicated to helping job‑seekers find positions within the gaming field.
"I wanted a role where I could see a direct link between my actions, my team, and the people I was helping to re‑enter the industry," Satvat explained. "My goal has always been to turn more developers' aspirations into reality, especially those working on smaller‑scale projects, which I’m passionate about. I also wanted to be part of a community‑first environment." He added, "Joining 1Up feels like a convergence of all those desires. The firm is a pivotal player in the gaming ecosystem, and I hope to help preserve its unique investment philosophy for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced that he will leave Supercell after a seven‑year tenure.
He started at the Finnish studio 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.
He plans to stay 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 market.
Derrington previously led 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 joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor, moved to People Partner in 2024, and now oversees senior talent strategy across the organization.
PlaySimple Games elevated Shreya Godha to the role of Producer after she served as Associate Producer. Godha’s promotion reflects her growing responsibility for overseeing game development pipelines and cross‑functional coordination. 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 Marketing and Communications, and she initially joined Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment. After more than three decades with Housemarque, co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen is stepping down.
Kuittinen co‑founded the studio in 1995 after merging his company Bloodhouse with Harri Tikkanen’s Terramarque. Reflecting on his career, he said, "We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time for 30 years, staying independent for 26 of those before joining PlayStation Studios." He continued, "The leadership transition has been carefully planned. 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 a smooth handover and operational stability.
Housemarque’s creative vision remains 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 became Publishing General Manager. "I joined Lion six years ago and have grown alongside the company through its biggest wins, challenges, and transformations," Feiman said. "What makes Lion special is our collaborative approach with partner studios – we take risks together, learn quickly, and turn great concepts into games enjoyed by millions." She added, "Lion has never been about any single individual.
I’m privileged to work with an outstanding team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners worldwide." Sega of America has brought on 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 started at the company in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, moved into product management, and now leads senior‑level product initiatives for the franchise.
Similarly, Scot McCarron has been promoted 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 and later served as Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty series before his latest promotion. These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent within the gaming world, where seasoned veterans shift to new challenges and emerging leaders step into more influential positions.
The industry continues to evolve rapidly, and the people behind the games are a key part of that momentum.