Jobs Roundup: April 2024 | Dinosaur Polo Club appoints Amie Wolken as CEO
It can be difficult keeping track of the various comings and goings in the games industry, which is why we compile them in semi-regular round-ups.
If you have new appointments or transitions in your company that belong here, please send the names of the appointees, new role and company, and prior role and company to newhires@gamesindustry.biz.
Ann Hurley | General manager, Team17
Team 17 has appointed Ann Hurley as general manager of its gaming label.
She joined the company back in October 2023 in a temporary role to lead the Team 17 Digital division.
Hurley’s career in the games industry includes an eight-year stint at Testronic. She joined the company as head of games business development and last served as senior vice president of sales and marketing before exiting the company.
In her announcement she said, “I’m happy to share that after several months leading our magnificent team I am honoured to take up a permanent role as general manager at Team17 Digital.
Fortis Games grows its leadership with three new appointments.
Fortis Games has expanded its leadership team with a new trio of appointments.
Among them is Kimberly Corbett, who has joined the firm as its new chief publishing officer.
Corbett previously worked at WB Games as its senior vice president of digital publishing.
She was with the games company for six years. Her work history in the games industry includes a four-year stint at Kabam; prior to leaving, she held the role of senior director of marketing.
Meanwhile, Michael Christian has joined Fortis as vice president of art. Throughout his career, he worked at companies such as King, EA, and Microsoft.
Carol Liaw, appointed senior vice president of game development, rounds out the Fortis appointments. She brings experience from working at firms such as Quark Games, Plexchat, and WB Games.
Charlie Andre-Barrett | Publishing director, Antstream
Antstream has named Charlie Andre-Barrett as its new publishing director.
His career in the games industry spans over 25 years. Before joining the streaming service, he was director of business development for global sales at Curve Games.
His games career includes an eight-year stint at Bethesda Softworks.
Andre-Barrett last served as global senior account manager with the studio for the last two years.
“As I step into the role of publishing director at Antstream, I am thrilled to embark on a journey that merges my love for gaming with a dedication to delivering unparalleled experiences. Together, we’ll forge new paths in the ever-evolving landscape of empowering interactive entertainment”, said Andre-Barrett.
David Mulhall | Global head of esports partnerships, Riot Games
Riot Games has promoted David Mulhall as global head of esports partnerships and business development.
In the new role, he will oversee the onboarding of brands into the firm’s esports partnership portfolio.
He joined Riot back in 2020 as its global head of business development and partnerships for Valorant and Teamfight Tactics.
“We’re more focused than ever on creating opportunities for partners that deliver great value and improve the player experience watching esports,” said Riot Games president of esports John Needham.
“David’s deep understanding and passion for our various esports communities is critical to successfully integrating partners into our broadcasts and events.”
Gio Corsi | Third-party AAA portfolio management, Nintendo
Gio Corsi has announced that he’s been hired by Nintendo of America to serve on its third-party AAA portfolio management team.
Corsi’s games industry work history includes a six-year stint at Sony Interactive Entertainment. He last served as head of global second-party games.
Corsi went on to work as head of publishing and business development at IllFonic. Before his new role at Nintendo, he held the role of head of commercial at Iron Galaxy Studios.
In the announcement of his hiring on social media, Corsi said, “This week, I began my new gig filled with fun and adventure! I’ve joined the Nintendo of America AAA third-party portfolio management crew to help great teams bring their amazing games to this legendary platform!”
Amie Wolken | CEO, Dinosaur Polo Club
Dinosaur Polo Club has named Amie Wolken as its new chief executive officer.
Before joining the indie game developer, she worked as studio director of Wētā Workshop.
She was with the concept design and manufacturing firm for four years.
Throughout her professional career, she co-founded GEO AR Games and had a one-year stint as a senior software engineer at Magic Leap.
In the announcement of her hiring, Wolken said on social media, “This role is more than just a shiny new title. It represents a chance for personal and professional growth at a time when I had considered leaving the game development industry to find it.”
Julien Proux | Chief content officer, Room 8 Group
Room 8 Group has announced the promotion of Julien Proux to chief content officer.
In his new role, Proux will oversee production operations across the firm’s divisions, such as QA and game development.
Julien Proux joined Room 8 in 2023 as executive vice president of art.
His career experience includes being a founding partner and officer of NeoBards Entertainment. He also served as manager director of Berlin at Bigpoint for two years.
Proux said, “I am humbled by the trust shown in me and am excited to continue creating great games with great people. Going forward, I intend to continue fostering a culture of innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability within Room 8 Group.”
Rodrigo Santoro | Missions director, IO Interactive
IO Interactive has hired Rodrigo Santoro as missions director on its upcoming Project 007 title.
Santoro brings with him experience that includes nine years of working at Massive Entertainment, a Ubisoft subsidiary. Before his departure, he held the position of world director for two years.
He also worked as a level designer at Crysis maker Crytek for five years.
“I am super excited to join IOI! I admire how the studio dares to innovate and create new, memorable game experiences. This is particularly remarkable in times when most companies are focused on making sequels,” said Santoro.
“Project 007 got my attention since the day it was announced, and I feel incredibly fortunate to work with the team making the game.”
Matthew LoPilato | CEO, Tripwire Interactive
Tripwire Interactive has named Matthew LoPilato as its new CEO.
LoPilato joined the games firm back in 2016 and last served as its chief financial officer before his promotion.
Meanwhile, the current CEO and co-founder, Alan Wilson, will assume the role of vice president at the company. Wilson held various senior roles at the studio and stepped into the CEO position in 2021.
“It’s been an honor to serve as Tripwire’s CEO, but I am beyond thrilled to hand over the reins to Matt,” said Wilson.
LoPilato said, “I am grateful to Alan for what he has done for our studio. He has been an amazing leader, mentor, and friend to me all these years, and I am thankful to him and the other founders for the opportunity to continue with their vision and build upon that legacy of achievements.”
Craig Fletcher | Chief operating officer, Gameye
Craig Fletcher has joined Gameye’s executive team as its new chief operating officer.
His work history includes serving as founder and CEO of online gaming league Multiplay for 19 years.
He also had a one-year stint as CEO of events and esports with Supernova Capital. Fletcher has also held various roles as an investor and chairman of the board.
“There’s a huge opportunity for us to dramatically change the landscape of cloud computing,” said Fletcher.
“Many companies out there are still making the mistakes that they’ve been making for decades about how they host their games.”
Brenda Panagrossi | Ubisoft, US general manager
Brenda Panagrossi has been appointed as Ubisoft’s US general manager.
She will lead the marketing and player engagement business operations for the United States.
Before her new role, Panagrossi previously served as Ubisoft’s vice president and executive publisher.
She joined the back in 2002 and has climbed its ranks during her tenure.
“Brenda’s extensive leadership experience across a wide variety of business teams at Ubisoft, combined with her proven track record in overseeing some of our biggest brands, made her a perfect fit for this new strategic role,” said Ubisoft chief publishing officer Alain Corre.
Jaremy Rich | Head of product management, Sony Interactive Entertainment
Jaremy Rich has announced that he has joined Sony as the head of product management for live service games.
Before his new role, he worked at Bungie as its managing director of revenue and product management. Rich was with the game studio for seven years.
He also held the director of product management position at Wargaming for two years.
In Rich’s announcement on social media, he said, “After 7.5 amazing years at Bungie, I’m embarking on a new adventure…with this change, I still get to work with many of the talented folks at Bungie still.””
“Working at Bungie has been the honor of my career, and I have many people to thank from my time there, from the Publishing pirate ship.”
Sean Brennan | Playstack, non-executive director
Playstack has appointed Sean Brennan as an independent non-executive director.
Brennan brings career experience, including a 14-year stint at ZeniMax Europe. He served as its international managing director.
He also worked as CEO of Focus Entertainment for six months.
“I’m extremely happy to have the opportunity to join the Playstack team,” said Brennan.
“The company has proved itself to be one of the leading lights on the global publishing scene; it has strategically grown steadily and continues to scale.”
Timm Geyer | Co-managing director, Sunday
Mobile games firm Sunday has made Timm Geyer co-managing director.
He joins company co-founder Christoph Sachsenhausen to oversee its business operations.
Geyer has held various leadership roles throughout his professional career.
He last served as CEO at Spil Games, where he worked for three years.
During his work history, he also worked as co-CEO at CoolGames.
Geyer said, “I am excited to join Sunday at such a pivotal moment in its journey. The company’s commitment to innovation and excellence aligns perfectly with my own values.”
Tim Steudler | Head of developer partnerships, Mattel
Tim Steudler has announced that he’s joined Mattel as head of developer partnerships.
Before this new position, he served as head of business development at Immutable.
During his professional career, he co-founded and worked as chief strategy officer of Rebel Ventures.
Steudler also had a five-year stint as senior vice president of products at ReadyUp.
“I am excited to contribute to [Mattel’s] mission of creating innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain, and develop children through play. I look forward to collaborating with developers to bring new gaming experiences to life,” said Steduler in his hiring announcement.
Mike Sanders | Chief development officer, Carbonated
Carbonated has named Mike Sanders as its new chief development officer.
He brings with him experience that includes working for 17 years at Puny Human.
He held various roles as a technical producer and CEO at the company.
“It quickly became apparent that Mike is not just deeply knowledgeable about the gaming industry and passionate about the creative process, but crucially, he possesses a rare ability to successfully deliver,” said Carbonated CEO Travis Boatman.
