Press release -
SUMO GROUP ANNOUNCES HIRE OF FIRST EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION MANAGER
Thursday 09 September 2021: Sumo Group, the award-winning provider of creative and development services to the video games and entertainment industries, has announced the hire of Leon Killin as the company’s first Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Manager.
The newly created role demonstrates the highest level of commitment from Sumo Group to addressing issues of equality, diversity and inclusivity within the Group and in the wider games industry.
“Leon is a talented individual who has already played a significant role in the betterment of the games industry,” said Sumo Group Chief Executive Officer Carl Cavers. “Sumo recognises its responsibility to work towards meaningful and enduring diversity and to help drive widespread change through the industry – I’m looking forward to seeing how Leon will guide us on that journey.”
“We’re delighted to have Leon on board and look forward to working with him as he leads our efforts.”
Before joining Sumo Group Leon founded Balance Patch, a consultancy service offering expert advice to the games industry about EDI issues, providing companies with the right tools and support to collaboratively make the games industry the best it can be inside and out.
Prior to this, he spent 10 years in Higher Education working on a variety of EDI-related projects including developing inclusive client engagement strategies, working as hate crime reporting project manager, and as a disability and mental health adviser providing one-to-one support to clients on a wide range of accessibility challenges.
Leon holds a Masters with Distinction in Sexuality & Gender and Global Studies from the University of Sussex and a First Class degree in Social & Cultural Studies from Goldsmiths University of London.
“The industry has a long way to go, but in recent years we have seen major improvements thanks to the efforts of countless individuals, organisations and companies like Sumo Group,” said Leon. “Sumo has acknowledged and embraced its responsibilities as an industry leader and beacon for positive change, and I look forward to working with them on enacting that change.”
Leon started in the role on 1st July having initially joined as a contractor in an advisory capacity. He reports to Steven Webb, Sumo Group's General Counsel and Company Secretary.
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About Sumo Group – www.sumogroupplc.com
Sumo Group's businesses provide acclaimed development, design and publishing services to the video games and entertainment industries from studios in the UK, India, Canada, the US, and Poland.
Sumo Digital, as the group's primary business, is one of the UK's largest independent developers of AAA-rated video games, having studios in Sheffield, Newcastle, Nottingham, Leamington Spa, Warrington and Pune, India. The business has acquired four studios since IPO, which operate under their own names, BAFTA award-winning The Chinese Room in Brighton, Red Kite Games in Leeds, Lab42 in Leamington Spa and PixelAnt Games in Wroclaw, Poland. Sumo Digital provides turnkey and co-development solutions to a global blue-chip client base.
Pipeworks is an innovative, well-established, and respected US video games developer based in Eugene, Oregon. It provides full development, co-development, and live operations to premier video game publishers and other partners.
Atomhawk is a multi-award-winning visual design company, with studios in Newcastle and in Vancouver (Canada), servicing the games, film and visual effects industries.
Secret Mode is a video games publisher, focused on delivering fresh and new gaming experiences to players and building expansive and fulfilling communities around those games. It will publish titles developed within Sumo Group and also by independent developers.
