Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, departures, and promotions across the gaming sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we publish periodic round‑ups that collect all the noteworthy personnel moves in one place.
If you know of any recent appointments or transitions that belong 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. Prior to this, he spent several years at Tencent Games where he was the Business Development Director, overseeing strategic partnerships and expansion initiatives.
Satvat also founded and currently leads Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to helping job seekers find opportunities within the games industry. "I wanted a role where I could see a direct impact on the people I work with and help get more creators back into development," Satvat explained. "My goal has always been to turn more game‑making dreams into reality through my own actions. I was also drawn to the prospect of working with smaller studios, because I have a genuine passion for games of that scale, and I value a community‑first environment." He continued, "My ultimate 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 coming together." Satvat added, "1Up plays a vital 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 exit from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined the Finnish studio 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 timing is right." Take‑Two Interactive has named Giles Derrington as Director of Global Affairs for the UK. Derrington previously served as Head of Public Affairs for TikTok in the United Kingdom, where he managed government relations and policy 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 into the People Partner role in 2024, overseeing talent acquisition and employee development.
Shreya Godha was elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an Associate Producer within the same studio. In her new capacity she will lead project timelines, coordinate cross‑functional teams, and drive game launches. 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.
Before that, she entered Unity in 2018 as Marketing Lead for Media and Entertainment after a stint at Warner Brothers Games Montreal as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications. Housemarque co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen stepped down after an impressive 31‑year run. Kuittinen co‑founded the studio in 1995 alongside Harri Tikkanen, following the merger of their earlier 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 extraordinary industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before becoming part of PlayStation Studios." 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 to support him and the leadership team to ensure seamless operational continuity. Housemarque’s strategy and creative vision are in excellent hands." Tamara Feiman was 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," Feiman said. "Since then I’ve had the privilege of growing with 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 that reach millions." "Lion has never been about a single individual.
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 added. Heather Sangria joined Sega of America as Community Manager.
Previously, she worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a Digital Strategy and Community Manager position at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen received a promotion to Senior Product Manager for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard.
Chen originally joined the company in 2020 as a Financial Analyst, later moving into product management before her latest elevation. Scot McCarron was promoted to Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty at Activision Blizzard. McCarron first entered Activision in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises, later becoming Director of Product Management for the Call of Duty series.
These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both seasoned veterans transitioning to new challenges and rising stars stepping into greater responsibilities. The continuous reshuffling of expertise helps drive innovation, supports emerging studios, and ensures that the ecosystem remains vibrant and adaptable for the years ahead.