Keeping up with the constant flow of personnel changes in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge, which is why we regularly gather the most noteworthy appointments and transitions into concise round‑ups. If your organization has recently welcomed new talent or seen staff move into different roles that merit inclusion, please forward the relevant details—name of the individual, new position, company, as well as their previous role and employer—to newhires@gamesindustry.biz.
Catherine Bygrave has been named Head of Commercial for Code Wizards Group. Bygrave brings a wealth of experience to the role, having previously served as Business Development Director at Sumo Games.
Before that, she spent ten years at Activision, contributing to flagship franchises such as Call of Duty and Destiny. Her résumé also includes senior commercial and strategic positions at Gfinity, Humble Games, and Sumo Digital.
"I have followed Code Wizards throughout my career and have always admired the team's ethos and performance," Bygrave said. "I am thrilled to join the group and help drive the business forward in its next phase." Stuart Muckley, CEO of Code Wizards Group, expressed his enthusiasm: "We are delighted to welcome Catherine to our leadership team. The games industry has been evolving rapidly in recent years, and Catherine is exactly the kind of leader we need to propel Code Wizards to the next level." In other news, Michał Platkow‑Gilewski has been promoted to Vice President of Global Communications and Marketing at CD Projekt Red. Platkow‑Gilewski first joined CD Projekt Red in 2011 as Head of Marketing and has since held several key positions, including Head of Global Communications, Director of Public Relations and Global Communication, and ultimately VP of PR and Communication.
His long‑standing tenure reflects a deep familiarity with the company’s brand and its worldwide audience. Playground Games has appointed Daniel Smith as Executive Producer. Smith arrives with a solid background in large‑scale product development, having previously served as Executive Producer at Turn 10 Studios. In addition, he spent nine years at Xbox Game Studios Publishing, where he held senior producer and games producer roles and oversaw the Xbox publishing portfolio, managing multiple high‑profile titles from concept through launch.
At 2K and its subsidiary Hangar 13 Games, Gero Micciché has been named Lead Producer. Micciché’s career includes a stint as Development Director on the Battlefield series at Criterion Games, as well as development director and producer responsibilities at major publishers such as Electronic Arts, Codemasters, and Gameloft. His extensive experience across both AAA and mid‑tier projects positions him well to guide Hangar 13’s upcoming releases. Bloober Team has announced that Tymon Smektala will serve as Executive Producer for its curated horror label, Broken Mirror Games.
Smektala spent 13 years at Techland, most recently as Franchise Director, after joining the company in 2013 as a game designer. "After more than 13 years at Techland, I’m taking on a new challenge: leading the imprint, shaping its creative direction and portfolio, and working with talented external studios to bring fresh perspectives on horror in gaming," Smektala explained.
Roblox has added Vik Agarwal to its product team. Agarwal previously held senior product leadership positions at Meta and served as Lead Product Manager at Zynga. His background also includes product manager roles at Electronic Arts and Amazon Game Studios, giving him a broad view of both social and traditional gaming ecosystems. Finally, Zynga has appointed Daniel Loane as Principal Game Designer.
Loane’s prior experience includes a senior game designer role at Fortis Games, as well as senior design positions at ZeniMax Online Studios, NetherRealm Studios, and King, where he contributed to a variety of live‑service and console titles. These appointments reflect a broader trend of seasoned industry veterans moving into leadership positions across a range of studios, from indie publishers to major AAA developers. Their collective expertise in areas such as commercial strategy, global communications, product management, and game design is expected to shape the direction of their respective companies and influence the broader market in the months and years ahead. If you have additional announcements or wish to correct any of the information above, please reach out to our editorial team at newhires@gamesindustry.biz.
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