Digital Bridges looks east with new hire

Mobile entertainment publisher Digital Bridges has announced the appointment of Shigeru Ota as vice president of business development, with a view to expanding the firm's presence in the key Japanese market.

Ota, who has been working in the videogames industry for over 20 years, was formerly president of both Nintendo of Europe and then of Capcom Eurosoft, and oversaw such landmark launches as the arrival of the GameBoy in 1990.

His role at Digital Bridges - which also recently hired Nintendo Europe's former managing director, David Gosen - will involve building the firm's sales division into Japan, and promoting its expertise and technology to Japanese developers and publishers.

"From the earliest days of mobile gaming and entertainment, Japan has been an innovator and a global leader," Ota commented in a statement today. "As the global market has grown, Japan has remained at the forefront of the industry in terms of penetration and technology."

"I look forward to helping Digital Bridges establish a dedicated and effective presence in the very important Japanese market, and further reinforcing and expanding its relationships with the leading companies in the Japanese entertainment and handset manufacturing industries," he concluded.