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 gather all the noteworthy personnel moves in one place.
If you know of a new appointment or a transition 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 manager at 1Up Ventures. Before this, he was the business development director for Tencent Games, where he helped shape the company’s expansion strategy across multiple markets. Satvat also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative designed to help job‑seekers find positions within 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 is to turn more developers' dreams of creating games into reality through my efforts. I also hoped to work in an environment that focuses on smaller studios, because I have a genuine affection for indie‑scale projects, and I value a community‑first culture.
"Ultimately, I was looking for colleagues who share my values and integrity. Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those wishes are coming together," he added. He continued: "1Up plays a crucial role in the broader games ecosystem, and I’m committed to ensuring its distinctive investment approach endures for as long as possible." 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.
"Now it’s time to return to my passion for creating new IPs," Seppänen said. "I’ll stay in the UK and plan to launch my own studio in 2027 – I’ll share more details when the timing 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 the platform’s relationships with regulators and the media.
Jess Pearce received a promotion to senior people partner at Kepler Interactive. Pearce originally joined Kepler as a people advisor in 2022 and advanced to people partner in 2024, overseeing talent acquisition and development across the organization. Shreya Godha was 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 help shape the studio’s upcoming mobile titles. 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. Prior to Unity, she spent time at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as studio lead for marketing and communications, giving her a deep understanding of both developer and publisher perspectives.
Ilari Kuittinen, co‑founder and managing director of Housemarque, stepped down after 31 years. Kuittinen helped launch the studio in 1995 together with Harri Tikkanen after merging 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 industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before joining PlayStation Studios." He added, "We have planned this leadership transition carefully. On July 1, Sami ‘Haxu’ Hakala officially assumed the managing director role, and I have continued to support him and the leadership team to guarantee operational continuity. Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are now in capable hands." Tamara Feiman has been named chief executive officer of Lion Studios, the publishing arm of Tripledot Studios.
Feiman started her career at Lion in 2020 as the EMEA business development lead and later became publishing general manager. "I joined Lion six years ago and have watched the company navigate its biggest successes, challenges, and transformations," Feiman said.
"What makes Lion special is the collaborative way we work with partner studios. Together we take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games enjoyed by millions." "Lion has never been about a single individual. I’m lucky to work with an outstanding 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 manager role at Undead Labs, giving her a solid background in fostering player engagement. Emily Rose Chen was promoted to senior product manager for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. Chen began her career at the company as a financial analyst in 2020, later moving into product management where she helped shape the franchise’s roadmap.
Scot McCarron earned a promotion to 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 served as director of product management on the Call of Duty series, overseeing feature development and cross‑functional coordination. These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the games industry, highlighting how seasoned professionals continue to shape the sector’s future while newer voices rise to take on greater responsibility.