Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across 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 colleague who has taken on a new role or left a position and think the news 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 joining the venture firm, Satvat was the Business Development Director at Tencent Games, where he oversaw strategic partnerships and expansion initiatives. He also founded and runs Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), a platform dedicated to helping job‑seekers find opportunities within the gaming industry. "I wanted a role where I could see a direct impact on both the people I work with and the broader community," Satvat explained. "My goal has always been to help turn more developers' dreams into reality, especially those working on smaller‑scale projects that I’m passionate about.
I also sought an environment that puts community first and aligns with my own values and sense of integrity. Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like the perfect convergence of those aspirations." He added, "1Up plays a crucial part in the gaming ecosystem, and I’m eager to help preserve its unique investment philosophy for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen announced his exit from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He joined Supercell in 2019 as a producer and subsequently held several 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 – 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 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 joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor, progressed to People Partner in 2024, and now oversees senior talent initiatives across the company.
Shreya Godha has been elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games, after serving as an Associate Producer within the studio. Epic Games announced Kelly Ekins as its new Director of Communications. Ekins comes from Unity, where she held the position of Senior Director of Global PR for the Games and Made with Unity program.
Prior to Unity, she led marketing for media and entertainment at the company starting in 2018, following a stint as Studio Lead for Game Marketing and Communications at Warner Brothers Games Montreal. Housemarque co‑founder and Managing Director Ilari Kuittinen is stepping down after 31 years with the studio. Kuittinen co‑founded Housemarque in 1995 together with Harri Tikkanen after merging their respective companies, Bloodhouse and Terramarque. "Reflecting on three decades, I feel incredibly fortunate," Kuittinen remarked.
"We were in the right place at the right time throughout a period of massive industry growth, which allowed us to remain fiercely independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." "We have carefully planned this leadership transition 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 a seamless handover.
Housemarque’s strategic direction 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 the EMEA Business Development Lead. "I joined Lion six years ago," Feiman said. "Since then, I’ve had the privilege of growing alongside the company through its biggest successes, challenges, and transformations.
What makes Lion special is our collaborative approach with partner studios – we take risks together, 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 outstanding team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as with talented studio partners worldwide." 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 management role at Undead Labs. Emily Rose Chen has been promoted 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 earning her senior title. Scot McCarron has also advanced within Activision Blizzard, becoming Senior Director of Product Management for Call of Duty. McCarron originally joined the company in 2018 as a Product Marketing Manager for emerging franchises and later served as Director of Product Management for the flagship series.
These moves illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow within the gaming industry, highlighting both the rise of seasoned veterans into new leadership roles and the emergence of fresh voices ready to shape the future of interactive entertainment.