More than 75 UK game developers set for GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit

The GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit is less than two weeks away, and there are almost 80 games studios of all sizes set to attend the event in London.

This includes the likes of Bandai Namco, Creative Assembly, Devolver, Dlala, Electric Square, Frontier, Futurlab, Hangar13, King, Ninja Theory, Playground Games, PlayStation, Rare, Rocksteady, Sports Interactive, Sumo, Take-Two, Ubisoft, Warner Bros and many more.

The Summit takes place at the fancy Royal Institution in London. Tickets are on sale right now.

The whole event is a day-long conference featuring talks and breakout sessions on vital HR, leadership and talent-based issues. It concludes with the 2024 Best Places To Work Awards.

This year there are numerous sessions on leadership, including levelling up staff, managing remote teams, and supporting employees during these unprecedented and challenging times. We'll also discuss moving forward with EDI projects amidst a backlash on diversity and inclusion programmes

There are also sessions looking at how different generations approach and view work, we have a leading AI expert who will share his advice on how that technology might transform HR, while we have several sessions looking at the mental health crisis and how employers can help.

We will also discuss neurodiversity with a talk specifically around supporting and unlocking neurodiverse talent. There are also conversations around the skills crisis, including new ways to develop the talent pipeline.

The event is sponsored by Amiqus.

Check out the full schedule below:

Main Stage:

09:00: Registration Tea/Coffees
09:30: Welcome to the GamesIndustry.biz HR summit -- Christopher Dring(GamesIndustry.biz)
09:40: Navigating the current economic and labour market conditions -- Sheila Attwood (Brightmine)
10:00: Understanding Potentials and Pitfalls of AI in the Workplace -- Tommy Thompson (AI and Games)
10:20: Break (more tea!)
10:45: Panel - Divergent expectations of work and management by generation -- Andy Coley (Game Studio Training), Lisa Opie (Ubisoft), Michael Chan (Compulsion Games), Harinder Sangha (Maverick Games)
11:30: Putting people first – practical tips for mental health and wellbeing support - Hayley Blundy (Futurlab)
11:50: Weathering the storm: Building trust and positivity in challenging times -- Steve Cuss (GamePlan Consultants)
12:15: Lunch
13:15: Maintaining personal boundaries and wellbeing as an HR Leader -- Emma Smith (Hestia Talent)
13:45: The Skills Crisis Report - sx months on -- Gina Jackson OBE (Pitchify)
14:10: Neurodiversity in the games industry: Unlocking hidden talents -- Pierre Escaich (Ubisoft)
14:35: how to maintain progress against an EDI backlash -- Liz Prince (Amiqus)
14:50: Leadership through times of change - Craig Duncan (Studio Head, Rare), Harriet Manson (Chief of Staff, Rare), AJ Grand-Scrutton (CEO, Dlala), Gemma Foster (COO, Dlala)
15:40: Drinks/Networking

17:00: The GamesIndustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards 2024
18:00: Drinks Reception

Breakout Room 1

10:45: Overcoming the Challenges of Prioritising Mental Health in the Games Industry - Sarah Sorrell (Safe In Our World) with Emma Smith (Hestia Talent)
11:30: The Leadership & Line Manager gap - how do we tackle the challenges?- Sarah Brewster (Freshseed)
13:15: Managing uncertainty in a remote/distributed team- Perri Lewis (Mastered)
14:00: The Skills Half Life - Scott Baxter (Wardog)

Breakout Room 2

10:45: Games Industry Salary Survey Results - Sheila Attwood (Brightmine)
11:30: Creating creative spaces for neurodiverse workforce- Sean Hogan (RKD), Eimear Slattery (RKD)
13:15: Developing new talent pipelines – How apprenticeships add value to the creative industries- Phil Attfield (NextGen Skils Academy), Amy Smith (Framestore)
14:00: It’s cool to be kind - stories of great mental health and wellness in the workplace - Hayley Blundy (Futurlab)

19:00: Event Ends

Tickets are on sale here. For sponsorship enquries, contact George.Corner@gamesindustry.biz