Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures across the games sector can be a real challenge. That’s why we gather the most notable moves in periodic round‑ups, giving you a single place to catch up on who’s joining where and who’s moving on.
If you know of a change that belongs in this list—whether it’s a new appointment, a transition, or a departure—please forward the name, new title, new company, and 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 at Tencent Games, where he helped shape the company’s growth strategy. Satvat is also the founder and driving force behind Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), an initiative that assists job‑seekers in finding positions within the gaming world. "I wanted a role where I could see a direct link between the decisions I make and the impact on a team, especially when that impact helps people get back to work," Satvat explained. "I wanted to turn more people’s dreams of building games into reality through my actions.
I also hoped to work in an environment that champions smaller studios, because I’m passionate about games of that scale, and I wanted a community‑first culture." He continued, "My ultimate goal was to collaborate with colleagues who share the same values and integrity that I strive for. Accepting 1Up’s invitation feels like all those aspirations are coming together." Satvat added, "1Up is a pivotal player in the gaming ecosystem, and I’m committed to ensuring its distinctive approach to game investment endures for as long as possible." Lasse Seppänen has announced his departure from Supercell after a seven‑year tenure. He entered the firm 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 for me to return to my passion for creating new game IPs," Seppänen said.
"I’ll remain 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 oversaw the company’s external relations and policy engagement. Jess Pearce earned a promotion to Senior People Partner at Kepler Interactive.
Pearce first joined Kepler in 2022 as a People Advisor and advanced to People Partner in 2024, playing a key role in shaping the studio’s talent strategy. Shreya Godha has been elevated to Producer at PlaySimple Games after serving as an Associate Producer. In her new capacity, Godha will take on greater responsibility for overseeing game development cycles and coordinating cross‑functional teams. Epic Games announced the appointment of 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 that, she led Unity’s marketing 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 is stepping down after an impressive 31‑year run.
Kuittinen co‑founded the studio with Harri Tikkanen in 1995 following the merger of their companies Bloodhouse and Terramarque. "Looking back, I feel immensely fortunate," Kuittinen reflected. "We were in the right place at the right time throughout three decades of industry growth, which allowed us to stay fiercely independent for 26 years before joining the PlayStation Studios family." 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 supporting him and the leadership team to ensure seamless 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 previously served as Publishing General Manager, having started at Lion 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 the way we collaborate with our partner studios.
Together we take risks, learn quickly, and turn great ideas into games played by millions." "Lion has never been about a single person. I’m fortunate to work alongside an incredible team across publishing, growth, product, engineering, and market intelligence, as well as our talented studio partners worldwide," she added.
Heather Sangria has joined Sega of America as Community Manager. Prior to this role, she worked as a contract Social Strategist and Community Lead at One More Game and held a digital strategy and community management position 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 this senior title. Scot McCarron has also advanced within Activision Blizzard, now serving as 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 became Director of Product Management on the Call of Duty portfolio.
These movements illustrate the dynamic nature of talent flow in the gaming industry, where seasoned veterans and rising stars alike continue to shape the future of interactive entertainment. Whether it’s founding new studios, steering investment firms, or leading community initiatives, each appointment adds a new thread to the intricate tapestry of the global games ecosystem.