Mobile Gaming Industry Hires and Power Shifts – September 2025

Leadership shifts continue to define the mobile gaming industry, and September 2025 continues the pace. The month brought a wave of notable appointments and executive moves, further reshaping the sector’s leadership dynamics. Here’s a closer look at the latest decision-makers stepping into key roles and the directions they’re set to take.

Luke Jones – Sales Director, Esports at Wasserman

Wasserman has appointed Luke Jones as Sales Director – Esports in Abu Dhabi, strengthening its presence in the MENA region. Luke previously served as Vice President of Commercial at Guild Esports and as Senior Gaming and Esports Manager at Red Bull Racing & Red Bull Technology.

Alexander Rehm – Epic Games as Product Director, LiveOps

Epic Games has appointed Alexander Rehm as Product Director, LiveOps, for Epic Online Services. In this role, he will oversee product strategy, roadmap development, live operations, and long-term planning to enhance the platform for studios worldwide.

Huzaifa Arab – Studio Head at KRAFTON India

Huzaifa Arab has stepped in as the Studio Head of KRAFTON India, where he will lead the India Game Development Team as part of KRAFTON Inc.’s growing local presence. n his new role, Huzaifa aims to build a lean, high-impact team dedicated to creating groundbreaking games rooted in and made for India.

Shay Sobel – Vice President, Corporate Development at Moon Active

Shay Sobel has been promoted to Vice President of Corporate Development at Moon Active, a recognition of his impact on the company’s strategic growth. Since joining in 2019, he has been central to mergers and acquisitions, partnerships, and new business initiatives in the mobile gaming space.

Cian O’Leary – Director of Business Development, EMEA at AppMagic

Cian O’Leary has joined AppMagic as Director of Business Development for EMEA, bringing strong experience from Sensor Tower owned Data.ai and Cloudinary. He has a proven record of driving growth across the customer lifecycle and has built successful partnerships with global brands like Chanel, Adidas, and Just Eat.

Joon Yoo – Head of Sales & Business Development, North America at AppMagic

Joon Yoo has been appointed Head of Sales & Business Development for North America at AppMagic, backed by more than a decade of experience in B2B and mobile SaaS sales. Previously with Sensor Tower and Playio, he is known for creating effective go-to-market strategies, scaling customer acquisition, and developing cross-border partnerships.

Ayşen Kıratlı – User Acquisition Lead at Miniclip

Ayşen Kıratlı has joined Miniclip as User Acquisition Lead, continuing her impactful career in mobile gaming and growth management. She previously held senior leadership roles at Kwalee, where she led user acquisition strategies, creative testing, and campaign optimization for top-performing titles.

Sertug Demir – Lead of Turkey at Lion Studios

Sertug Demir has joined Lion Studios, a Tripledot Studio, as Lead of Turkey, where he will manage business development and studio operations in one of the fastest-growing mobile gaming markets. He previously led publishing and business development at Rollic, overseeing partnerships and successful game launches across Turkey and internationally.

Piyush Mishra – Group Director, Growth & UA at Nazara Technologies

Piyush Mishra has joined Nazara Technologies Limited as Group Director, Growth & UA, bringing deep expertise in user acquisition and performance marketing. He previously held senior growth leadership roles at Product Madness and Uber, leading large-scale campaigns and digital initiatives.

Joel Lavery – Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Major Events at British Esports Federation

Joel Lavery takes on the role of Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Major Events at British Esports Federation, bringing over 30 years of experience in sport, partnerships, and event leadership. He previously shaped global strategies at British Cycling and the West Midlands Growth Company, contributing to landmark esports events and major tournaments.

Walter Kong – Senior Vice President, Head of Development for Live Games/Mobile at Blizzard Entertainment

Walter Kong has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Head of Development for Live Games/Mobile at Blizzard Entertainment. He will continue leading the Overwatch franchise while expanding his responsibilities to Hearthstone, Diablo Immortal, and Warcraft Rumble, driving strategy and new initiatives.

Alyssa Kollgaard – Chief Operations Officer at Akupara Games

Alyssa Kollgaard has been promoted to Chief Operations Officer at Akupara Games, bringing strong expertise in production and operations. She will oversee teams across marketing, development, and technical areas, while also shaping strategies for business development, HR, and organizational growth.

Rod O. – Chief Growth Officer at Sura Ventures

Rod O. has joined Sura Ventures as Chief Growth Officer, where he will lead the global growth strategy across the SURA ecosystem. His role includes driving game acquisitions and integrations, building partnerships, supporting fundraising, and working with top blockchains worldwide.

Deepak M V – Head of Strategy at Nazara Technologies

Deepak M V has joined Nazara Technologies Limited as Head of Strategy, bringing extensive experience in scaling businesses and building transformative strategies. He previously led OpenPlay Technologies, developing platforms like ClassicRummy and KhelYaar.

Henry Lowenfels – CEO at Stash

Henry Lowenfels has been appointed as CEO of Stash, bringing over 20 years of experience from leadership roles at Scopely and Homa. He is joined by Spencer T. as Chief Product Officer, Courtney Touchstone as Head of Marketing, and Valerie A. as Head of Go-to-Market.

Paul Chambers – Creative Director at Modma Games

Paul Chambers has been appointed as Creative Director at Modma Games, bringing over 15 years of experience in art and creative leadership. He has held senior roles at Bandai Namco Mobile, Voodoo, and Supercell, shaping creative direction and concept art across platforms.

Yael Segal – Director, Head of Apps and Gaming at TikTok

Yael Segal has been appointed as Director, Head of Apps and Gaming at TikTok, where she will lead the strategic direction and growth of the platform’s apps and gaming vertical under Global Business Solutions. She previously served as Head of Industry, Gaming Americas, playing a key role in strengthening gaming partnerships across the region and advancing TikTok’s position in the industry.

Sabrina Carmona – General Manager for Clash of Clans at Supercell

Sabrina Carmona has stepped into the role of General Manager for Clash of Clans at Supercell, taking on leadership at one of the world’s most iconic mobile games. She joins from King, where she served as General Manager for Farm Heroes Saga, and has also held senior positions at Goodgame Studios and Square Enix, bringing nearly two decades of experience to her new role.

Sim Furniss – Head of Art at FuturLab

Veteran industry artist Sim Furniss has joined FuturLab as Head of Art, bringing over 28 years of experience in shaping visual direction across renowned studios. He previously served as Vice President of Art at Improbable and has held senior roles at Sumo Digital, Monumental Games, EA, Team17 Digital, and Uplift Games.

Pavel Savkin – Chief Product Officer at Playhop

Pavel Savkin has been appointed Chief Product Officer at Playhop, where he will lead product strategy, expand platform capabilities, and drive innovation for global browser gaming. He joins from Xsolla, where he served as Director of Products.

Jeremy Kang – Vice President of Product at Bagelcode

Jeremy Kang has been promoted to Vice President of Product at Bagelcode, after joining the company earlier this year as Director of Product. He has been instrumental in shaping Bagelcode’s global casual games portfolio, leading international studios, and building pipelines for faster concept validation.