Keeping up with the constant flow of hires, promotions, and departures in the video‑game sector can be a real challenge, which is why we publish periodic round‑ups that capture the most noteworthy moves. If your organization has recent staffing changes that belong in this list, please forward the name of the individual, their new title, the company they are joining, as well as their previous role and employer to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. In a significant development for the UK games community, Harvey Elliott—founder and chief executive of Playstack—has been selected to serve as the chair of UKIE. He takes over from Maria Sayans, the chief executive of Ustwo Games, who held the chairmanship from 2024 until now.
Elliott originally joined the UKIE board in 2025, and his new role will see him steer the association through the implementation of its five‑year "Supercharged" plan, which aims to bolster game‑making businesses and amplify the sector’s economic, cultural, and global influence. "The United Kingdom possesses all the ingredients required to remain one of the premier locations for game development," Elliott remarked. "We benefit from world‑class creative and technical talent, internationally recognised studios, and a long‑standing tradition of delivering games and intellectual property that resonate with audiences worldwide." He added that the industry is at a pivotal moment: "Recent years have reshaped the landscape, presenting a genuine chance to build on the strengths that have made the UK a world leader while ensuring that the next generation of game studios can flourish." Elliott concluded with optimism: "I look forward to collaborating with Nick, the board, and our members to extend the successes of Supercharged, renew our commitment to the sector, and unite companies around a shared vision for the future." In other news, Steel City Interactive has announced the appointment of Murray Pannell as head of publishing. Pannell arrives with a distinguished résumé that includes senior vice‑president and chief marketing officer positions at Build a Rocket Boy, PlayFusion, and Everreach, as well as marketing director roles at Ubisoft and PlayStation, and a stint as vice‑president of publishing for Europe at 2K.
His career also spans senior management responsibilities at Electronic Arts and Xbox. Tim Coupe, vice‑president of the studio at Steel City Interactive, praised the hire: "Our ambitions for Undisputed 2 are exceptionally high, and bringing someone of Murray’s calibre on board sends a clear signal of intent.
Murray will head our publishing efforts and join a growing roster of industry veterans, all driven by Steel City’s mission to set the benchmark for authenticity, artistry, and evolution in interactive sports." Dean Anderson has joined the partner‑led consultancy MV&P to spearhead partnership and go‑to‑market initiatives across the APAC region. Anderson previously served as group commercial director at Dialect and has collaborated with major publishers such as Epic Games, Electronic Arts, Saber Interactive, and THQ Nordic on launches, brand integrations, and partnership agreements. Mike Petricevic, a partner at MV&P, highlighted Anderson’s breadth of experience: "Dean’s career has been rooted in the commercial side of gaming, and what stands out is his versatility. He has sold agency services, built and funded his own product, and taken games into new territories.
At MV&P, a partner owns the problem from inception through delivery, and Dean’s extensive hat‑wearing makes him perfectly suited to open up this new region for us." Catherine Bygrave has taken on the role of head of commercial at Code Wizards Group. Bygrave’s background includes a stint as business development director at Sumo Games and a decade at Activision where she worked on flagship franchises like Call of Duty and Destiny.
She has also held senior commercial and strategic positions at Gfinity, Humble Games, and Sumo Digital. Bygrave expressed enthusiasm about the move: "I have followed Code Wizards throughout my career and have always admired the team’s ethos and performance.
I’m excited to join the group and help drive the business forward in its next phase." Stuart Muckley, CEO of Code Wizards Group, echoed that sentiment: "We’re thrilled to welcome Catherine to our leadership team. The games industry has evolved rapidly in recent years, and Catherine is precisely the talent we need to elevate Code Wizards to the next level." Michał Platkow‑Gilewski has been promoted to vice‑president of global communications and marketing at CD Projekt Red.
He originally joined the studio in 2011 as head of marketing and has since held roles including head of global communications, director of public relations and global communication, and VP of PR and communication. Daniel Smith has been named executive producer at Playground Games. Smith previously served as executive producer at Turn 10 Studios, where he oversaw large‑scale product development and production pipelines.
He also spent nine years at Xbox Game Studios Publishing as a senior producer and games producer, managing the Xbox publishing portfolio. Gero Micciché has been appointed lead producer at 2K and its Hangar 13 studio.
Micciché’s prior experience includes serving as development director on the Battlefield franchise at Criterion Games, as well as development director and producer roles at Electronic Arts, Codemasters, and Gameloft. Bloober Team announced that Tymon Smektala will act 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.
He commented on the transition: "After more than 13 years at Techland, I’m embracing a new challenge—leading the imprint, shaping its creative direction and portfolio, and collaborating with talented external studios to bring fresh perspectives on horror gaming." Vik Agarwal has joined Roblox’s product team. His previous positions include product leader at Meta, lead product manager at Zynga, and product manager roles at Electronic Arts and Amazon Game Studios. Finally, Daniel Loane has been appointed principal game designer at Zynga.
Loane’s background features senior game designer work at Fortis Games, as well as senior roles at ZeniMax Online Studios, NetherRealm Studios, and King. These appointments and promotions illustrate the dynamic nature of the global games industry, where talent moves across studios, publishers, and service providers, continually reshaping the creative and commercial landscape.