Article

Ubisoft Appoints New Leaders to Advance Its Creative Houses Operating Model

Published by Ubisoft

Summary

Ubisoft is advancing its organizational transformation by appointing new leadership to oversee its Creative Houses operating model. This structural shift organizes the company’s development teams into five distinct Creative Houses, each granted greater autonomy and accountability for the long-term growth and development of specific brand portfolios. The initiative aims to streamline production by aligning studios based on shared player experiences and genre-specific expertise. Julien Bares has been appointed General Manager of Creative Houses 3 and 5, where he will oversee high-intensity live service titles such as The Crew and For Honor, as well as casual and mobile gaming brands like Just Dance and Hungry Shark. Bares brings over 25 years of industry experience, including previous roles at Tencent Games Global and 2K China, to manage these portfolios. Simultaneously, Thomas Andrén has been named General Manager of the Creative Network. In this role, he will lead a centralized group of expert studios tasked with providing cross-functional production support and technical expertise to the various Creative Houses. These appointments reflect a strategic effort to balance decentralized creative ownership with centralized operational support. By leveraging the combined expertise of these new leaders, the company intends to foster innovation and improve delivery agility across its global studio network. This transition marks a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing efforts to refine its internal structure, optimize its development pipeline, and enhance the quality of its diverse gaming portfolio across console, mobile, and online platforms.

From the report

PRESS RELEASE UBISOFT Ubisoft.com Ubisoft Appoints New Leaders to Advance Its Creative Houses Operating Model Julien named General 3 and 5; Thomas Andr Bares named Manager Houses Network é n General of Creative of the Creative Manager PARIS – MARCH 17, 2026 – Today Ubisoft announced new leadership appointments supporting the rollout of its Creative Houses-led operating model, marking an important step in the company’s ongoing transformation. Julien Bares will join Ubisoft as General Manager of Creative Houses 3, focused on high intensity live experiences, and Creative House 5, dedicated to casual and mobile play. Thomas Andrén has been appointed General Manager of the Creative Network, which will bring together a network of expert studios providing best-in-class production and cross functional creative expertise in support of the Creative Houses. Under this new structure, teams are organized into five distinct Creative Houses aligned around brands that share similar player experiences and genres. Each Creative House operates with clear ownership of its brands and responsibility for their development and long-term growth, empowering teams with greater autonomy and accountability. Bringing deep expertise across the games and technology sectors, Bares and Andrén will lead teams as they transition into this new operating model.

ear ownership of its brands and responsibility for their development and long-term growth, empowering teams with greater autonomy and accountability. Bringing deep expertise across the games and technology sectors, Bares and Andrén will lead teams as they transition into this new operating model. “I am very pleased to see Julien and Thomas stepping into these strategic roles. They both bring proven experience in game development and a shared passion for our industry,” said Yves Guillemot, co-founder and CEO, Ubisoft. “Their vision and their ability to bring together top talent will be key to creating compelling experiences that delight players, while contributing to Ubisoft’s transformation and growth.” Julien Bares Appointed General Manager of Creative Houses 3 and 5 Joining Ubisoft on March 23, Bares has more than 25 years of extensive experience across game development, studio leadership, and business operations spanning mobile, console, online, and social games. Most recently, he served as Head of Development and Portfolio Support at Tencent Games Global. Prior to that, he was General Manager of 2K China. Bares began his career at Ubisoft, where he worked as a Producer on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. With his experience across multiple genres, business models and global studio leadership, as well as strong knowledge of Ubisoft, he will lead Creative House 3, focused on high-intensity live experiences including brands such as The

ducer on Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell. With his experience across multiple genres, business models and global studio leadership, as well as strong knowledge of Ubisoft, he will lead Creative House 3, focused on high-intensity live experiences including brands such as The Page 1 / 3

Crew, For Honor, and Riders Republic, as well as Creative House 5, dedicated to casual and mobile play and including brands such as Just Dance, Growtopia, Hungry Shark, and more. “I entered the games industry to create experiences that resonate with players," said Julien Bares, General Manager, Ubisoft. “Leading Creative Houses 3 and 5 is an opportunity to partner with incredibly talented teams to build innovative games and deepen the connections we have with our communities. By combining powerful technology and smart collaboration across our studios, we can push the boundaries and continue building on Ubisoft’s unique creative culture.” Thomas Andrén Appointed General Manager of the Creative Network As General Manager of the Creative Network, Andrén will oversee a group of expert studios bringing world-class capabilities, strong delivery expertise, and the agility to support Creative Houses across a wide range of development mandates. Andrén has more than 20 years of leadership experience across media, technology, and gaming. Before joining Massive Entertainment at Ubisoft, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Red Bee Media, where he led complex international operations and transformation initiatives. At Ubisoft, Andrén and the teams at Massive Entertainment have contributed to the delivery of Star Wars Outlaws and its DLCs, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the recent From the Ashes DLC, while helping secure the long-term roadmap for The Division franchise. He strengthened cross-studio collaboration across projects and technology teams overseeing teams including Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Craiova and Ubisoft RedLynx.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora and the recent From the Ashes DLC, while helping secure the long-term roadmap for The Division franchise. He strengthened cross-studio collaboration across projects and technology teams overseeing teams including Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Craiova and Ubisoft RedLynx. Andrén will begin his new role on April 1. He will also be the interim Managing Director for Massive Entertainment until his replacement is found. “The Creative Network within Ubisoft’s new operating model represents an incredible concentration of expertise, craftsmanship, and innovation,” said Thomas Andrén, General Manager of the Creative Network. “Each studio brings its own unique strengths and capabilities, and by strengthening collaboration across the network and with our Creative Houses, we can combine agility with world-class expertise to support the development of ambitious games and deliver great new experiences for players.” For more information, please visit news.ubisoft.com.

nd capabilities, and by strengthening collaboration across the network and with our Creative Houses, we can combine agility with world-class expertise to support the development of ambitious games and deliver great new experiences for players.” For more information, please visit news.ubisoft.com. # # # Press Heather Haefner, contact Director, Global Corporate Communications [email protected] About Ubisoft is a creator of worlds, committed to enriching players’ lives with original and memorable entertainment Ubisoft experiences. Ubisoft’s global teams create and develop a deep and diverse portfolio of games, featuring brands such as Assassin’s Creed®, Brawlhalla®, For Honor®, Far Cry®, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon®, Just Dance®, Rabbids®, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six®, The Crew® and Tom Clancy’s The Division®. With a Ubisoft+ subscription, players can access new releases, premium editions and extra content on Day One on PC, console and cloud. For the 2024-25 fiscal year, Ubisoft generated net bookings of €1.85 billion. To learn more, please visit: www.ubisoft.group.com Page 2 / 3

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