True, the fastest-growing global platform of innovative talent management products and services, today announced several strategic hires to support its growing Gaming, Entertainment, Media & Sports practice (GEMS). True’s GEMS practice is making the world more entertaining as the premiere global search team focused on the convergence of leadership talent across these four areas.
“We work across Gaming, Entertainment, Media, and Sports to steer executives into the disruptive companies that need innovative leaders, such as those specializing in NFTs or developing the metaverse,” said Thor Bucy, Co-Head of the GEMS practice. “We’re thrilled to welcome these five experienced professionals to strengthen our global team and help us continue to lead in these spaces.”
Partner Bob Huseby, formerly Chief Revenue Officer at Imgur, brings decades of leadership across GEMS industries; having also been SVP International & Global GM of Gaming at Fandom, Head of Global Sales for Pop-Culture Encyclopedia, and publisher of GamePro magazine. Principal Hayes McCarthy has 15 years’ experience in media and entertainment, having led a creative agency and content studio at Hasbro, and served as VP of Innovation, Brand and CX at The Vermont Teddy Bear, Co. Principal Jay Alexander, is an expert search professional who spent more than 10 years recruiting talent for high-growth businesses and VC/PE firms in the United States and the U.K. Senior Associate Ish Elhelbawey and Associate Benjamin Oberholtzer round out the growing team.
These new additions accelerate the growth of the GEMS practice as it comes off a record year of 83% revenue growth and the building of successful partnerships with top brands including Roblox, Discord, King, Yelp and Fanatics.
“Our new hires join a team that’s working across industries and continents in North America, Europe, the Middle East, AsiaPac and Australia,” said Cosmo Lush, Co-Head of the GEMS practice. “Their backgrounds as operators and their networks of international talent help us answer our clients’ calls for industry insights and access to the world’s best leaders in digital entertainment.”
The momentum for GEMS is only building. The world’s media and entertainment industry is a $2 trillion market, according to The International Trade Administration. The sports industry has a worldwide audience of billions and reached a value of nearly $388 billion in 2020, according to ResearchandMarkets.com.
The global gaming industry is expected to reach a value of $314 billion by 2026, according to Mordor Intelligence. That figure doesn’t include the gamification of consumer brands, with gamification being successfully applied to ecommerce, social commerce, and showing up in more products from toothbrushes with apps like Quip, to interactive elements on Netflix.
The GEMS practice will continue leveraging its collaborative relationship with all of True’s functional practices and the Consumer practice worldwide, ensuring high impact outcomes for both clients and candidates. True Consumer Partner Ben O’Reilly and Principal Dana Faucher will play a key role in facilitating the collaboration.
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