Ubisoft names Anika Grant chief people officer
Publisher cites former Uber HR director's 19 years of experience "leading HR transformation" as it continues reform efforts after scandals
Ubisoft today named Anika Grant as its new chief people officer, following through on one part of a commitment to reorganize the publisher's HR department after last year's wave of scandals involving sexist and abusive behavior by numerous leaders throughout the company.
"Anika will leverage the company's strong workplace culture and ensure it is anchored in safety, respect, and wellbeing, enabling every team member to learn, grow and flourish," the company said, also noting that she "has 19 years of experience leading HR transformation in major, fast-paced, and customer-focused organizations across various sectors."
Grant joins Ubisoft from her role as global HR director for Dyson's Global Markets.
Prior to that, Grant worked at Uber for three years, eventually as senior director of HR for the ride-share company. During her years there, Uber was investigated by the US Employment Opportunity Commission and found to have "permitted a culture of sexual harassment and retaliation against individuals who complained about such harassment," leading to a $4.4 million settlement for then-current and former employees.
"I am very happy to welcome Anika Grant as our new chief people officer," Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said.
"Her energy, optimism and breadth of experience will be great assets to keep evolving our approach to HR and talent management. Working alongside me, Anika's mission will consist of aligning all our HR teams with a strong, shared vision, building a robust talent pipeline, and implementing innovative and new ways of working.
"Anika will also be focusing her leadership efforts on strengthening our global corporate culture, ensuring that all our teams can thrive in an environment that promotes a culture of respect, diversity, inclusion and collective wellbeing."
Last year, Ubisoft's head of global HR Cécile Cornet was one of multiple leaders throughout the company to step down after dozens of employees came forward with stories of sexual assault, abuse, and toxic work cultures at a number of Ubisoft studios worldwide.
Those initial reports were followed over the course of weeks by multiple press outlets publishing further stories, including ones specifically critical of the HR team's behavior.