Brian Ward has announced his resignation from his role as CEO of Savvy Games Group

Brian Ward has announced his resignation as the CEO of Savvy Games Group, as detailed in a memo seen by Bloomberg. Ward expressed that, as Savvy prepares to enter a new phase of significant growth, it is an opportune moment for new leadership to guide this transformation.

In the interim, Turqi Alnowaiser, who is the deputy governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) in Saudi Arabia and leader of its International Investments Division, will take on the role of acting CEO.

Ward took on the role of CEO when Savvy Games Group was founded in 2021, during which he managed the deployment of $37.8 billion aimed at bolstering Saudi Arabia's global gaming industry footprint. The PIF, Savvy's parent organization, is part of the country's strategy for economic and social change, as Ward has previously noted.

Under Ward's guidance, Savvy made strategic acquisitions, purchasing several game studios. This included acquiring Moonton from Bytedance for $6 million and the purchase of Scopely for $4.9 billion in 2023.

Prior to his role at Savvy, Ward accumulated experience in leadership positions with well-known companies such as Electronic Arts, Xbox, and Activision.

Ward's departure follows closely on the heels of Electronic Arts (EA) being acquired for $55 billion. This deal, spearheaded by a group led by the PIF, sparked concerns about the management of the two large gaming enterprises owned by Saudi Arabia, according to those familiar with the companies who wished to remain anonymous, as reported by Bloomberg.