Ubisoft has announced new leadership appointments in support of the rollout of its Creative Houses-led operating model. Julien Bares has been appointed General Manager of Creative Houses 3 & 5, and Thomas Andrén has been appointed General Manager of the Creative Network.
Julien Bares is set to join Ubisoft as General Manager of Creative Houses 3 and 5. Creative House 3 will focus on live experiences, while Creative House 5 will be dedicated to casual and mobile play. Meanwhile, Thomas Andrén has been appointed General Manager of the Creative Network, which will support the other Creative Houses (This is what Ubisoft's new operating model looks like).
"I am very pleased to see Julien and Thomas stepping into these strategic roles. They both bring proven experience in game development and a shared passion for our industry," said Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO, Ubisoft. "Their vision and their ability to bring together top talent will be key to creating compelling experiences that delight players, while contributing to Ubisoft’s transformation and growth."
With more than 25 years' experience in game development, studio leadership and business operations, Bares has worked with mobile, console, online and social games. Most recently, he served as Head of Development and Portfolio Support at Tencent Games Global. Prior to that, he was General Manager of 2K China. He began his career at Ubisoft, working as a producer on Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell.
"I entered the games industry to create experiences that resonate with players," said Julien Bares, General Manager, Ubisoft. "Leading Creative Houses 3 and 5 is an opportunity to partner with incredibly talented teams to build innovative games and deepen the connections we have with our communities. By combining powerful technology and smart collaboration across our studios, we can push the boundaries and continue building on Ubisoft's unique creative culture."
He will lead Creative House 3, which focuses on live experiences and includes brands such as The Crew, For Honor and Riders Republic. He will also lead Creative House 5, which is dedicated to casual and mobile play and includes brands such as Just Dance, Growtopia and Hungry Shark.
In his role as General Manager of the Creative Network, Thomas Andrén will oversee a group of studios supporting the Creative Houses across a range of development mandates. He has over 20 years' experience in leadership across the media, technology and gaming sectors. Prior to joining Massive Entertainment at Ubisoft, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Red Bee Media.
During his time at Ubisoft, Andrén and the Massive Entertainment teams played a key role in delivering Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, as well as shaping the long-term roadmap for the Division franchise. He also strengthened cross-studio collaboration. Andrén will begin his new role on 1 April. In the meantime, he will serve as the interim Managing Director for Massive Entertainment.
"The Creative Network within Ubisoft’s new operating model represents an incredible concentration of expertise, craftsmanship, and innovation," said Thomas Andrén, General Manager of the Creative Network. "Each studio brings its own unique strengths and capabilities, and by strengthening collaboration across the network and with our Creative Houses, we can combine agility with world-class expertise to support the development of ambitious games and deliver great new experiences for players."
