iPad firm hires retail expert John Browett Hirano heads up Konami Europe Wargaming.net recruits King Premier’s Cole moves to EML Wildfire
APPLE l JOHN BROWETT, former CEO of Dixons Retail, is to leave the firm for a new role at Apple. He will leave in April to take up his new position as senior vice president of retail for the iPhone and iPad manufacturer. His role at Dixons will be filled by current group operations director SEBASTIAN JAMES.
Browett has been chief executive of electronics retailer since 2007, and was instrumental in reviving the struggling firm. He will be in charge of managing Apple’s established retail strategy. “Apple is an exceptional company, and for me to sit inside a technology company like that and see how it works is really exciting,” he said. “There is no other job in the UK or elsewhere that I would have wanted.” In the last year, Apple has also poached high-profile talent from the games industry, including Nintendo’s ROB SAUNDERS, Activision’s NICK GRANGE and most recently Microsoft’s ROBIN BURROWES.
KONAMI l SHINJI HIRANO has been named as Konami’s new head of European operations.
He was previously president of the publisher’s US label
and takes over from KUNIO NEO. His main responsibilities will be to “institute [Konami’s] strategies” for key franchises Metal Gear Solid, Pro Evolution Soccer and Castlevania, as well as handling the firm’s mobile and social gaming and
trading card businesses. “I am keen to support the diversity the European territories offer, and looking to ways our business can best support the different tastes and opportunities they possess,” Hirano said. “Konami is a publisher with an enviable line-up of titles, and we will be making strides to ensure these titles gain the recognition they deserve.”
WARGAMING.NET l The company behind online games such as World of Tanks and World of Warplaneshas hired AL KING as global brand director.
King returns to the industry after five years of working for technology firms and poker websites. Prior to this, he worked in marketing roles at Electronic Arts, Midway Games and 20th Century Fox.
“I’m tremendously excited about returning to the games industry with one of the fastest growing and innovative companies in the online gaming sector,” he said. “I grew up on tabletop wargaming and model making as a kid. These products are a dream to work with.”
EML WILDFIRE l HARRY COLE has joined the tech PR agency as account manager, handling clients such as Train2Game. He previously spent four years in the same role at Premier PR. “With my experience in entertainment, online, social media and video games PR, I think I’ll be a huge asset to the EML Wildfire team,” said Cole.