Board of directors

Chair of the Nomination Committee

Appointment date:
November 2017

Experience:
45 years in the games industry. Co-founder and former Joint Managing Director of Games Workshop; former Executive Chairman of Eidos plc; former Chairman of Playdemic Ltd.

External appointments:
Ian holds non-executive roles with industry body UKIE and with not-for-profit organisations National Citizen Service Trust, Aspirations Academies Trust, Creative England and the Livingstone Foundation. He is a non-executive director of a number of independent video games businesses Midoki, Antstream, Flavourworks, Fusebox, Playmob and The Secret Police. Ian is also a founding partner of Hiro Capital LLP.

Skills brought to the Board:
Industry knowledge and experience, strategy

Sector experience:
Games industry development and publishing, strategy, acquisitions, business models and funding

Appointment date:
November 2017

Experience:
Co-founder of Sumo Digital in 2003, growing the business before a trade sale to Foundation 9. Carl then led a management buy-out with Northedge Capital in 2014, followed by a secondary buy-out with Perwyn in 2016. This was followed by the flotation of Sumo Group plc on AIM in 2017. Carl received TIGA’s coveted Most Outstanding Individual Award in 2015 and he holds an honorary doctorate from Sheffield Hallam University.

External appointments:

• Board member of TIGA

Skills brought to the Board:
Business leadership, strategy, M&A, organic growth, client relationships, contracts and negotiations

Sector experience:
Almost 25 years’ extensive experience in the video games industry having held senior roles previously at Gremlin Interactive and Infogrames

Appointment date:
November 2017

Experience:
Big four qualified chartered accountant with more than 30 years’ post qualification experience as CFO, Non-Executive Director and Consultant after many years in corporate finance, primarily in mid cap M&A with Rothschilds. David has held roles in both plc and private equity backed companies including as Group Finance Director of WYG plc and as Non-Executive Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Sweett Group plc

External appointments:

• None

Skills brought to the Board:
Financial management, M&A and investor relations

Sector experience:
Broad range with focus on people and professional services

Appointment date:
April 2019

Experience:
Over 25 years’ experience in developing video games and co-founded Sumo Digital in 2003. He started his career as a self-taught programmer and released his first game in 1991. Prior to founding Sumo Digital, Paul was Studio Head for Infogrames Sheffield and Head of Core Technology at Gremlin Interactive. He was appointed Chief Operating Officer of Sumo Group plc in April 2019. Prior to this he was Managing Director of Sumo Digital.

External appointments:

• None

Skills brought to the Board:
Video games development, business leadership, client relationships and negotiations

Sector experience:
Extensive experience in the video games industry

Chair of the Audit Committee | Member of the Nomination and Remuneration committees

Appointment date:
December 2017

Experience:
Nine years as Chief Financial Officer of Vertu Motors plc (until March 2019). Extensive retail, transactional and public market experience, including nine years as Group Finance Director of Games Workshop PLC and three years as a non-executive director of Plusnet plc, an AIM listed internet service provider. Michael qualified as a chartered accountant with Price Waterhouse where he held positions in the UK, Paris and Sydney.

External appointments:

• Non-executive director of Williams Motor Co. (Holdings) Limited

Skills brought to the Board:
Financial reporting, corporate governance, investor relations, M&A

Sector experience:
Consumer goods, internet service provider, motor vehicle

Chair of the Remuneration Committee | Member of the Nomination and Audit Committees

Appointment date:
September 2018

Experience:
Four years as Chief People Officer for Premier Farnell plc until January 2017. Prior to this, Andrea worked as an executive HR Director for numerous quoted companies, including Wincanton plc, AstraZeneca plc and Barclays Bank plc.

External appointments:

• Non-executive director and chair of Remuneration Committee of Macfarlane Group plc
• Non-executive director of TI Fluid Systems plc
• Executive Council member and Chair of Remuneration Committee of Salford University

Skills brought to the Board:
HR strategy, organisational development, remuneration

Sector experience:
Distribution and logistics, pharmaceuticals, finance

Joining date:
December 2017

Experience:
After qualifying as a solicitor with Norton Rose, Steven spent a number of years in private practice specialising in corporate and commercial law, before moving to his first Company Secretary role with Kalon Group plc in 1994. He became Company Secretary and General Counsel of Yorkshire Water plc (later re-named Kelda Group plc) in 1997 and spent 16 years in the same role at Premier Farnell plc from 2000. Steven was also a member of the Board of Governors of Leeds Beckett University for six years, including time as Deputy Chairman and Chairman

Skills brought to the Board:
Corporate governance, M&A (UK, US, Germany, India, China), commercial negotiation, strategy development

Sector experience:
Manufacturing, utility, distribution