Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures in the video‑game sector can be a daunting task. That’s why we publish regular round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy personnel moves across the industry.
If you know of a new appointment or a transition that belongs in this list, please forward the individual’s name, new title, new company, and previous role to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. **Ben Board Takes the Helm at The Performance Guys** Former Epic Games executive Ben Board has been installed as chief executive officer of The Performance Guys, the optimisation arm of CodeDev Group. Board’s résumé includes a stint as Business Development Director for the Epic Game Store and Unreal Engine, a role he stepped into after joining Epic in 2017 as a developer‑support manager. Earlier in his career he held senior positions at legendary studios such as Bullfrog Productions, Lionhead Studios, and BossAlien.
"Ben is a true industry heavyweight whose reputation and technical authority speak for themselves," said CodeDev Group founder Myke Parrot. "He understands game development from every angle – from writing engine scripts to managing developer relations for the world’s biggest platforms and engines. Bringing Ben in as CEO of The Performance Guys sends an unmistakable message to the market: if your game has a performance problem on any engine, we have the best team on the planet to fix it." **James Turner Returns to The Pokémon Company International** James Turner is back at The Pokémon Company International, this time as Creative Director of Pokémon Art and Design.
Turner originally left Game Freak in 2022 to co‑found All Possible Futures with Jonathan Biddle; the studio’s debut title, *The Plucky Squire*, launched in September 2024 and earned praise for its inventive storytelling. His return to the Pokémon umbrella signals a renewed focus on artistic direction and brand consistency across the franchise’s global products.
**Billy King Joins Respawn Entertainment as Lead Concept Artist** Respawn Entertainment has announced the appointment of Billy King as its new lead concept artist. King arrives from ZeniMax Online Studios, where he served as lead concept artist, and previously held a senior concept role at Amazon Games.
His portfolio includes work on large‑scale sci‑fi and fantasy projects, and his hire is expected to strengthen Respawn’s visual pipeline for upcoming titles. **Additional Notable Moves** - **Sam Duncombe** becomes Brand Marketing Manager at Team 17 after a tenure as Product Manager – Games and Film at Warner Bros.
Discovery. - **Cansu Karahan Can** takes on the People and Culture Manager role at Loom Games, having previously filled the same position at Stoikk (formerly Kompanion). - **Christopher Wulf** is promoted to Senior Business Development Manager at Fellow Traveler, a company he joined in 2021 after serving as Senior Business and Event Manager for The Triple‑i Initiative. - **Julie Derhak** steps into the role of Producer for Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast.
She spent seven years at Epic Games, contributing to Fortnite Tech Art and the Lego‑Fortnite collaboration. - **Alvaro Menéndez** becomes International Social Lead at Mojang Studios, after a period as Senior Marketing Manager for Epic Games in Madrid.
- **Linus Johnsson** is promoted to Senior Audio Designer at Frontier Developments, where he began his career as a graduate audio designer in 2022. - **Nate Nanzer** departs Epic Games after a seven‑year stretch to assume the position of EVP, Head of Commercial & Marketing at Paramount Games. Nanzer previously served as SVP of Partnerships and Monetisation at Epic.
"The scale of the ambition and vision here for what's next is incredibly exciting," he remarked. "I've spent my career at the intersection of games, entertainment, and fandom, and the opportunity to help build what comes next at Paramount was simply too compelling to pass up." - **Julia Gutnik** is appointed Head of Media at Amazon Gaming.
Prior to this, she led Media, Social & Analytics at Kia America and spent six years at Prime Video and Amazon Studios overseeing digital and ad‑tech media. - **Lorna Antoniazzi** joins Studio MDHR as Art Producer, after producing for Roarty Digital on projects such as Fortnite Battle Royale and Lego Fortnite. - **Aysu Kutbay** becomes Product Manager at Grand Games, moving from a similar role at Rollic.
- **David Bailey** returns to Games Workshop as Lead Commercial Manager – Licensing. Bailey originally joined Games Workshop in 2019, left in 2021 for a director role at Sumo Digital, and now says, "It's a privilege to return to the vast and evergreen Warhammer universes to help spearhead new business for licensing here." - **Liana Murphy** takes the post of Account Director, US Operations at Second Stage, after simultaneously serving as COO and Head of PR at Vicariously and V Publishing.
- **Tim Coombs** is named Head of Brand Marketing for Amazon Luna. He previously directed brand management at Xbox (2020‑2026) and held product marketing roles for Amazon Lumberyard and Amazon Game Tech. - **Erik Mogensen** exits Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast after three years as Senior Director of Business Development for digital gaming.
His 23‑year career at Games Workshop culminated as Head of Business Development and Consumer Product Licensing. - **Ryan Rubin** joins Blizzard Entertainment as Senior Producer. Rubin’s background includes senior production work at Netflix (mobile titles *Squid Game: Unleashed* and *Selling Sunset*) and a five‑year stint at Riot Games on League of Legends creative development.
- **Andrey Odintsov** becomes Head of Marketing at Battlestate Games, after user‑acquisition work at Multicast Games and consulting for independent growth projects. - **Dan Lazarides** steps into the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Frontier Developments, following senior marketing leadership at Sega Europe. Frontier CEO Jo Cooke praised his experience with major IPs and his player‑first mindset.
- **Karen Ionescu** is appointed Digital Sales Manager at Kalypso Media UK, bringing prior experience from Numskull Games, Nintendo, and Rising Star Games. - **Hannah Barrett** is promoted to Senior Account Executive at esports and gaming communications agency Swipe Right, after joining as an account executive in December 2025. - **Anni Pyy** becomes Contract Manager at Supercell, after four years in the same capacity at Metacore. - **Nathan Solbrandt** takes on the SVP of Business Development role at fintech platform ZBD, following senior account work at Motorica and a VP position at Xsolla for the Americas.
- **Olivia Lee** is hired as Internal Events Producer at Riot Games, building on her prior associate producer experience for internal programs. - **Ciarah Pritchard** joins Xsolla as Account Coordinator, after serving as Account Performance Manager at Playback Rewards. - **Tracey Thompson** returns to Bethesda as Vice President of Communications.
Thompson originally joined Bethesda in 2009, left for EA in 2019, and now says she looks forward to supporting iconic franchises across Bethesda and Xbox. - **Maddie Richter** becomes Social Media Marketing Manager at Nintendo of America, transitioning from a social media role at Alaska Airlines.
- **Dana Duffield** joins Yotta Games as Narrative Designer, after senior narrative work at Series Entertainment. - **Yogscast Games** announces three new hires: Charlotte Willis (PR & Influencer Manager, formerly creator and community director at Diva Agency), Robin Mawhinney (Production Coordinator, previously junior producer at Atelier 11), and Charlotte Pang (Publishing Coordinator, with a background in production, animation, and teaching at Submarine Art School and The Code Zone).
- **Steffen Holm** and **Chris Kruger** join Roblox’s Foundation AI team to support the mobile‑first AI creation tool Build in New Zealand. The duo co‑founded Jars AI in 2023 and raised $3.5 million from Google and other investors.
- **Sathvik Sudireddy** becomes Marketing Manager, Live Services at Rockstar Games, after product management on *Call of Duty* at Activision. - **Joe Chard** is appointed Lead Product Manager at Netflix Games, bringing experience as VP, Studio General Manager, and Head of Product at Jam City, as well as senior roles at Disney and Warner Bros. These appointments illustrate the fluid nature of talent within the gaming ecosystem, where seasoned veterans often move between major publishers, independent studios, and emerging tech ventures, bringing fresh perspectives and deep expertise to each new challenge. The continued cross‑pollination of skills helps drive innovation, ensures that best‑practice knowledge spreads throughout the industry, and ultimately benefits gamers worldwide.