Jobs Roundup: June 2024 | Xbox executive Jerret West transitions to Roblox
The games industry constantly evolves with new appointments and transitions. Below are recent changes worth noting.
If you have relevant updates, share the details at newhires@gamesindustry.biz.
Xbox Marketing Leader Jerret West Joins Roblox
Jerret West, who has been Xbox's CMO since 2019, is transitioning to Roblox to be the CMO and lead market expansion.
His new role begins on June 30, according to a confirmation from Microsoft to GamesIndustry.biz.
West's career at Microsoft began in 2005 as senior global product manager. By 2008, he was promoted to director of marketing.
He broadened his experience with roles at American Express and Netflix before rejoining Microsoft.
"Jerret's contributions to launching and expanding our communities and products cannot be overstated," Xbox head Phil Spencer remarked in a memo. "We look forward to collaborating with Jerret and Roblox to further connect global audiences through play."
Larry Hryb Now at Unity as Community Director
Former Xbox Live programming director Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb has joined Unity as the director of community.
Hryb celebrated this career move on social media, expressing his enthusiasm for working with developers and shaping the future of real-time gaming.
His tenure at Microsoft began in 2001, transitioning to the Xbox division in 2003. Throughout his career, he contributed significantly to major product launches and hosted the official Xbox Podcast.
Marina Mello Appointed as Global Director for BBC Studios' Gaming and Interactive
Marina Mello, formerly of Bossa Studios, has taken up the role of global director for gaming and interactive at BBC Studios—the first person to hold this position.
This leadership role, first advertised in February 2023, encompasses the global gaming strategy for several major BBC properties, as reported by PocketGamer.biz.
Mello's background includes a tenure of over eight years at Bossa Studios with her most recent role being chief commercial officer, and over three years managing global business development at Shine.
She shared her excitement for the new position on LinkedIn, citing the BBC's reputation for top-tier content and nurturing British creative talent.
PTW Elevates Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Technology Officer
PTW has promoted two vice presidents to C-suite roles to enhance its leadership team.
Harlan Beverly steps up from VP of technology to chief technology officer, where he will drive technological innovation and oversee AI initiatives within PTW's services.
In parallel, Kaley Hurst moves from VP of sales and marketing to chief revenue officer, focusing on expanding the reach and growth of all PTW brands.
New Appointments at Homa
Paris-based mobile developer Homa has expanded its leadership team with two new vice presidents.
Dan Adair, formerly general manager at Scopely, is the new VP and general manager of hybridcasual. His decade-long experience includes leading teams at Zynga for titles like Zynga Poker and Dawn of Titans. At Homa, he will oversee product approvals and team recruitment.
Joining Adair is Devin Radford, now VP for business development. With 18 years in business development, including key roles at FoxNext, Radford has been involved in releasing games such as Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. He will focus on strategic partnerships to support game developers and other companies.
Management Changes at Starbreeze
Starbreeze has announced two new appointments to its management team.
André Persson is now the chief marketing officer, overseeing the company's publishing and product marketing.
Persson had served as the interim vice president of publishing from January 2024 until this latest promotion.
Before joining Starbreeze, he held key roles at Sharkmob and Bandai Namco Europe and established his consultancy, Project 369 Group.
Hanna Falk, who has been the interim vice president of human resources, is set to depart Starbreeze for a new opportunity, with her tenure ending on June 30, 2024.
Melissa Bell | Executive Vice President of Global Marketing, Warner Bros
Melissa Bell has taken on the role of executive vice president of global marketing at Warner Bros Games.
She will directly report to David Hadadd, president of Warner Bros Games, and will lead the global marketing strategies for their gaming portfolio.
Prior to this new role, Bell spent six years as the chief marketing officer at 2K and has held senior positions at Volkswagen Group, Jaguar, Infiniti, and Publicis.
Bell expressed her enthusiasm about the new position, stating, "I'm thrilled to join the Warner Bros Games team and look forward to working together to elevate Warner Bros Discovery's franchises in the gaming industry.
"Working with the talented team at Warner Bros Games is an exhilarating opportunity, as we aim to create compelling brand stories and memorable cultural moments for players globally."
Tom O'Connor | Senior Vice President of Development, CI Games
Tom O'Connor has been named senior vice president of development at CI Games.
He will be instrumental in coordinating the efforts between the company's internal and external studios, including those of CI Games and United Label.
Previously, O'Connor was senior director of production at Tencent, overseeing Western game studios such as Sumo Group and Sharkmob. His 15-year tenure at PlayStation involved managing numerous development studios and partners.
"I see the company's current strengths and am excited about driving its production frameworks to help CI Games achieve its strategic objectives and advance to the next level," O'Connor remarked.
Jennifer Maas | Senior Business Writer, TV and Video Games, Variety
Variety has promoted Jennifer Maas to senior business writer, focusing on TV and video games.
Maas will lead news and cover the gaming industry, in line with Variety's recent efforts to expand its gaming coverage.
She joined Variety in 2022 as a TV business writer, after serving at The Washington Post, ABC News, Entertainment Weekly, and The Wrap.
"Jennifer Maas has brought vigorous and focused business coverage since she joined," said co-editor-in-chief of Variety, Cynthia Littleton. "Her promotion is well-deserved. With gaming growing into a global powerhouse, we are excited to enhance our coverage of this significant market."
Jon Bailes | Games Editor, Edge Magazine
Jon Bailes has been appointed as games editor of Edge magazine.
Bailes previously contributed to Edge as a freelancer and has written for Wired, The Guardian, Washington Post, Polygon, Eurogamer, GamesRadar, and Rock Paper Shotgun.
Additionally, he provides consultancy services as a freelance game reviewer and analyst for video game publishers.
