Digital Chocolate Grows, Attracts Two New Executives
Team grows with promotions and newcomers from Nokia and Habbo Hotel
San Mateo, CA,-January 12, 2012 –Digital Chocolate, a leader in social games across growing platforms, has hired two new executives and promoted several others as the company begins to deliver on its plan to grow social games across all platforms and screen sizes. Kaj “HeGe” Haggman joins from Nokia as Vice President and GM of Digital Chocolate’s Helsinki Studio. Also in Finland, new VP Product Management Emmi Kuusikko joins from Sulake, the makers of the famous Internet MMO and leading online community, Habbo Hotel.
Known for successful Facebook games including Zombie Lane and Army Attack, the office in Helsinki also promoted Marko Lastikka to VP Production and Miikka Kukkosuo to VP Regional Sales. Zombie Lane is now available and getting good results on Apple iOS devices http://itunes.apple.com/app/zombie-lane/id444441750?mt=8 and will soon be joined by Army Attack. Both games will soon be ready for Android, tablets and more browser channels. “We’re pleased that our strategy and progress have attracted such experienced and talented executives,” said Marc Metis, President of Digital Chocolate. “And it is a pleasure to promote our emerging leaders from within.”
To support the company’s global studio expansion initiatives, three executives were also promoted in San Mateo, California, where Digital Chocolate coordinates cross-platform tools, engineering and social game best practices. Edmond Chui is now VP Platform Engineering, delivering more tools for developers and channels for games. Jerome Collin is VP Product Management, and Sean Dornan-Fish has been promoted to VP Game Design; both of these executives had earlier careers at Electronic Arts before playing key roles at Zynga, prior to joining Digital Chocolate.
The company’s newest social game, Galaxy Life, was ranked # 1 by Inside Social Games among emerging new Facebook games, and is now also available at Digital Chocolate’s corporate home website. Galaxy Life is the latest game from Digital Chocolate’s growing Barcelona Studio, who made earlier successes Millionaire City and MMA Pro Fighter. Leveraging its recent acquisition, the company is also expanding its new studio offices in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Seattle, Washington. Led by VP Daniel Bernstein, the founder of Sandlot Games, the new studios have upcoming game launches for new genres and platforms.
In support of its growth plan, Digital Chocolate completed a $12 million equity capital financing in 2011 and has recently added two financial credit lines. “It’s rewarding that we can attract and retain great people and are getting continued support from the financial community,” said Trip Hawkins, CEO. “We are now well-positioned to leverage industry trends and growth.” Hawkins has been blogging recently about the emergence of the browser as a hub for cross-platform, cloud-based social games that can offer players more flexibility and convenience about how and where they play.
