More than 60 industry leaders and UK-based studios are set to participate in the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit
The GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit is scheduled for tomorrow (October 2) at The Royal Institution in London. This day-long conference will gather more than 60 prominent industry figureheads and studios to provide insights and guidance on tackling various challenges within the sector.
The event will feature over a dozen presentations focusing on essential topics, including cultivating partnerships, obtaining mental health accreditation, rejuvenating company culture after layoffs, and navigating the impact of AI.
Kicking off the summit, a session with Sega Europe's Nicky Ormrod, and Value Partnership's Simon Court and Dan Bobby, will delve into their collaboration during a critical time in their recent history (full details here).
A highlight of the summit will be a session by Skillfull's Gina Jackson and Amiqus' Liz Prince, discussing studio strategies for leveraging skills, promoting sustainability, and ensuring fairness to foster young talent. This will be complemented by a presentation from Fresh Seed's Sarah Brewster on understanding "the unwritten rules of the workplace" (more information).
Also on the agenda, Stellar Entertainment's Niki Head and Teem Camp's Chiara Santevecchi will tackle "culture in the age of AI," while Next Jump's Kevin McCoy and GameDataCore's Simon Sparks will facilitate a roundtable about fostering a coaching culture in workplaces (further details).
The event's conclusion will be marked by the 2025 Best Places to Work Awards, with nominations for 19 studios, including Rare, Playground Games, FuturLab, Rocksteady, and Wushu Studios (see the full list here).
Amiqus proudly sponsors the 2025 GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit.
Below is the detailed schedule:
Main Stage
08:30: Registration (Teas and Coffees)
09:00: Welcome to the HR Summit
09:05: Sega – Recode for Growth | Nicky Ormrod (Sega), Simon Court and Dan Bobby (Value Partnerships)
10:00: The new deal at work – psychological contracts in games | Sarah Brewster (Fresh Seed)
10:30: The Talent reset – skills, sustainability and fairness in the Games Talent agenda | Liz Prince (Amiqus), Gina Jackson (Skillfull)
11:00: Break
11:30: The strategic seat at the table | Perri Lewis (Mastered), Alison Lacy (Radical Forge)
12:15: Production & People – the power partnership | Emma Smith (Hestia Talent Partners), Max Brode (The Indie Stone)
13:00: Lunch
14:00: Mental Health Accreditation Schemes, Why they're important | Safe In Our World
14:15: After the storm – rebuilding and resetting culture post redundancies | Leon Hijazi-Killin (Balance Patch), Cinzia Musio (equity, diversity, and inclusion consultant), Sara Veal (GamesAid)
15:05: Culture in the age of AI | Niki Head (Stellar Entertainment), Chiara Santevecchi (Teem Camp) – hosted by Lewis Packwood
15:45: Wrap up workshop on the main stage – drawing the line, resetting with confidence | Emma Smith, Gina Jackson, Sarah Brewster
16:30: Drinks & Networking
17:15: Best Places To Work Awards 2025
18:15: Drinks & Networking
Breakout Room
11:30: Level Up or Get Left Behind: How to Win When You're Short on People, Resources, Time, and Money | Simon Sparks (GameDataCore), Kevin McCoy (Next Jump)
12:15: Workshop 1 – Skills in Action, practical tools for future-ready teams | Liz Prince, Gina Jackson
14:00: Workshop 2 – From firefighting to future – building HR as true partners | Emma Smith, Perri Lewis
15:05: Behind the Screens: Resilience in Action | Hayley Blundy (FuturLab)
The headline of this article has been revised to note the participation of over 60 companies rather than over 30.
