31
January 2024
The information contained within
this announcement is deemed by the company to constitute inside
information stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No.
596/2014 as it forms part of the domestic law of the United Kingdom
by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended)
("UK MAR"). Upon the publication of this announcement via the
Regulatory Information Service, this inside information is now
considered to be in the public domain.
Devolver Digital,
Inc.
("Devolver", the "Group" or the
"Company")
Board and Leadership
Change
Devolver Digital, Inc. (AIM: DEVO),
an award-winning digital publisher and developer of indie video
games, announces the following changes to its Board and leadership
team, as part of planning for Devolver's long-term growth and
development.
Chief Executive Officer succession
Douglas Morin has stepped down from
his role as CEO and Board member and will be succeeded by Harry
Miller, Executive Chairman and major shareholder, who is today
appointed as CEO, with immediate effect. Douglas joined
Devolver as Chief of Staff in 2020 and was appointed CEO in
2021. Douglas played a vital role in Devolver's IPO,
strengthened the corporate and operating structure of the listed
company, and championed the acquisition of System Era
Softworks.
Harry is co-founder and former CEO of
Devolver, establishing the Company in 2009 with Rick Stults, Graeme
Struthers, Nigel Lowrie and Mike Wilson. In the past 15 years
- two of which as Executive Chairman since IPO in 2021 - Harry has
been instrumental in defining and building Devolver's business and
culture into the award-winning independent video games publisher
and developer it has become. Harry has almost 30
years of video games experience, having established and managed a
number of publishing and developing businesses in the video gaming
sector including Ritual Entertainment (co-founder and CEO),
Gathering of Developers (co-founder and President), Hong Kong-based
En-Tranz Entertainment (CEO) and Gamecock Media
(President).
Chair appointment
Devolver also announces that Kate
Marsh, Senior Independent Director since Devolver's IPO in November
2021, has been appointed as Non-Executive Chair with immediate
effect. Kate will step down as Chair of the Remuneration Committee
to become Chair of the Nomination Committee and will continue to
sit on the Remuneration and Audit Committees. Kate has more than 30
years of experience in digital and media industries, having built
and managed significant businesses in senior roles with Sky,
GroupM, the BBC, Sony Pictures Television and most recently with
Amazon-owned MGM Studios. Kate serves as a Non-Executive Director
on the Board of FTSE 250 Games Workshop Group plc where she chairs
the Remuneration Committee and has also served at Board level for
Mediahuis Ireland (formerly INM plc).
Additional Board changes
The Company also announces that
Graeme Struthers, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of
Devolver, will join the Board with immediate effect. Graeme
is a co-founder of Devolver and was appointed as Chief Operating
Officer in 2022 to oversee a strengthening of the leadership team
and operational structures following the IPO in 2021. Before
Devolver, Graeme worked across a number of games companies,
including Virgin Interactive and Electronic Arts.
Jo Goodson, Non-Executive Director,
will step down as Chair of the Nomination Committee to become Chair
of the Remuneration Committee.
Harry Miller said:
"On behalf of
the Board and everyone at Devolver, I would like to thank Douglas
for his significant commitment and achievements at Devolver in the
last four years. Douglas' energy, leadership and
determination were critical to our IPO and programme to build our
infrastructure as a listed company, culminating in the exciting
System Era acquisition. I am excited by the opportunity to
step back into the CEO role. It's an incredible pleasure and honour
to continue to work with Devolver's fantastic and talented team,
building out a strong pipeline of fun and creativity, and of course
delivering on our long-term growth strategy."
About Devolver Digital
Devolver is an award-winning video
games publisher in the indie games space with a balanced portfolio
of third-party and own-IP. Devolver has an emphasis on premium
games and has published more than 100 titles, with more than 30
titles in the pipeline scheduled for release over the next few
years. Devolver has in-house studios developing first-party IP
titles and a complementary publishing brand. Devolver is registered
in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.
In accordance with Schedule Two (g) of the AIM
Rules for Companies, Graeme Shearer Struthers (aged 59) holds the
following directorships and partnerships:
Current
Directorships:
Gambitious B.V.
Firefly Holdings Limited
Firefly Studios Limited
Devolver Digital Games Limited
Nerial Ltd
ABEST d.o.o
Graeme has not held any additional
directorships or partnerships in the past five years.
Graeme currently holds 30,059,890 shares in the
company, representing 6.8% of the issued share capital.
There is no further information on Graeme
Struthers required to be disclosed under Schedule Two, paragraph
(g) of the AIM Rules for Companies.
Enquiries
Devolver
Digital, Inc.
|
ir@devolverdigital.com
|
Kate Marsh, Non-Executive Chair
Harry Miller, Chief Executive
Officer
Daniel Widdicombe, Chief Financial
Officer
|
|
Zeus
(Nominated Adviser and Sole Broker)
|
+44
(0)20 3829 5000
|
Nick Cowles, Jamie Peel, Alexander Craig
(Investment Banking)
Ben Robertson (Equity Capital
Markets)
|
|
FTI Consulting
(Communications Adviser)
|
devolver@fticonsulting.com
|
Jamie Ricketts / Dwight Burden /
Valerija Cymbal / Usama Ali
|
+44 (0)20 3727
1000
|