Sessions

Keynote address: Nick Poole OBE - Championing Change: A Strategic Vision for UK Games

Nick Poole OBE will share an update on UKIE’s groundbreaking work to support and champion the UK games industry. From driving national strategy to empowering regional growth, Nick will highlight how UKIE is working with industry and government to help shape the future for studios of all sizes and ensuring the UK remains a global leader in games. His address will offer valuable insights into the opportunities, challenges, and collective action needed to unlock the sector’s full potential.

Speaker:

Nick Poole OBE
Chief Executive
Ukie

Fireside chat with María Sayans

María Sayans has been helping games companies succeed in the digital space, build great brands, launch games, and engage players for nearly two decades. She has been CEO of ustwo Games for 6 years, as well as being a member of the steering group for the London Games Festival and a board member of Star Stable Entertainment. She was appointed Chair of Ukie this year. In this fireside chat, we will discuss leadership at an indie studio, Ukie’s work in the industry, and how María is finding her position as Chair so far.

Moderator:

Francesca Ainsworth
Partner
Lewis Silkin

Speaker:

María Sayans
CEO
ustwo Games and Chair Ukie

What keeps studio execs up at night?

Coming up with the vision and strategic direction is only part of the story. This panel explores the myriad challenges involved in running a games business, including funding and cash flow; business development; marketing; contract negotiations; talent retention and HR; disputes; and the constantly shifting regulatory landscape and market trends. We are joined by a panel of senior games executives involved in navigating these challenges from both a commercial and legal perspective and ask each of them, “what keeps you up at night?”.

Moderator:

Aaron Trebble
Legal Director
Lewis Silkin

Speakers:

Chris Wood
CEO
Tanglewood Games

Daniel Goodall
General Counsel
Kwalee

Tim Martin
General Counsel
Aonic Group

Viktorya Hollings
COO
Just Add Water and MD Test Tropic

Boosting the bottom line & beyond

In an industry which is still experiencing challenging times, it’s all about the bottom line. Research shows that higher performing teams have a higher proportion of women in leadership roles. But what does this look like in practice and how is it achieved in a traditionally male dominated industry? This panel explores how improving the number of women in the industry has boosted profitability and performance and how Studios can increase the number of women they have in leadership roles.

Moderators:

Breesha Loughran
Senior Associate
Lewis Silkin

Gemma Woodhead
Managing Associate
Lewis Silkin

Speakers:

Louise Andrew
Head of Studio
D3T

Marie-Claire Isaaman
CEO
Women in Games

Sam Chawla
COO & CPO
Spliced

Tamsin O’Luanaigh
Founder
Wise Cat Strategy and ex nDreams CPO

How to build and retain the Ultimate Games Community

Every successful game has an engaged community of players who are able to interact in a space where they feel valued. Building and maintaining an environment where players feel a strong sense of belonging not only creates a great experience but also keeps players coming back. In this session we explore the elements which make for strong, sustainable communities and game environments and discuss strategies which endure. We also look at issues within communities which challenge the creation and maintenance of a positive environment and how to address them.