Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions in the gaming sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that gather all the notable personnel moves in one place. If you know of a change at your studio that belongs in this list, please forward the name, new title, new 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 for Tencent Games, where he oversaw partnership strategy and growth initiatives across multiple regions.
Satvat also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an organization dedicated to helping job seekers find positions within the games industry. "I wanted a role where I could see a direct link between my actions and the impact on a team, and where I could help people get back to work," Satvat explained.
"I’m passionate about turning more developers' dreams of creating games into reality, especially within smaller studios that I love so much. I also wanted to be part of a community‑first environment." He added, "My final wish was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity I strive for.
Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those wishes are coming together." Satvat also praised 1Up’s position in the ecosystem, saying, "1Up is a crucial player in the games investment landscape, and I hope its distinctive approach endures for many years to come." Lasse Seppänen announced his departure from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined the company 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 IPs," Seppänen said. "I’ll stay in the UK, and in 2027 I plan to launch my own studio again – I’ll share more details when the moment is right." Take‑Two Interactive has appointed Giles Derrington as director of global affairs for the UK. Derrington previously led public affairs for TikTok in the United Kingdom, where he managed regulatory relationships and policy advocacy.
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 across the organization. Shreya Godha has been elevated to producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an associate producer.
In her new capacity, Godha will oversee project timelines, coordinate cross‑functional teams, and drive the delivery of mobile titles. Epic Games named Kelly Ekins as its new director of communications.
Ekins comes from Unity, where she was senior director of global public relations for the Games and Made with Unity program. Before that, she led marketing for media and entertainment at Unity and previously held a studio‑level marketing leadership role at Warner Brothers Games Montreal.
Ilari Kuittinen, co‑founder and managing director of Housemarque, stepped down after 31 years. Kuittinen and Harri Tikkanen founded the studio in 1995 by merging their companies Bloodhouse and Terramarque. Reflecting on his career, Kuittinen said, "We were fortunate to be in the right place at the right time for three decades of industry growth, allowing us to stay independent for 26 years before joining PlayStation Studios." He continued, "We planned this leadership transition carefully.
On July 1, Sami ‘Haxu’ Hakala officially took over as managing director, and I have continued to support him and the leadership team to ensure smooth operational continuity. Housemarque’s strategy 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 the EMEA business development lead and later served as publishing general manager. "I joined Lion six years ago and have watched the company grow through its biggest successes, challenges, and transformations," Feiman said.
"What makes Lion special is our collaborative approach with partner studios – we take risks together, learn fast, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." She added, "Lion has never been about a 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." Heather Sangria has become the community manager for Sega of America. Previously, she 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 received 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 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 moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both the rise of seasoned veterans into leadership positions and the emergence of new voices poised to shape the future of interactive entertainment.