Finnish Supercell Hires Games Veteran

Finnish mobile games company Supercell has hired Greg Harper as general manager, North America. Harper is a a former Pogo and iWin executive. Founded in June 2010 in Helsinki, Finland, Supercell is backed by investors including Accel Partners and London Venture Partners.

PRESS RELEASE

Supercell, premier Finnish mobile games company, has brought on game industry veteran Greg Harper as General Manager, North America. A former Pogo and iWin executive, Harper brings with him deep games experience. Harper joins Supercell as the company focuses on its Tablet-First strategy: creating new game experiences for tablets as a lead platform that will transform gaming for a new generation. Supercell has been readying a robust catalog of games after financing rounds from prestigious venture capital firms, Accel Partners and London Venture Partners.

“We welcome Greg to Supercell with great enthusiasm,” said Ilkka Paananen, CEO of Supercell. “The landscape for games is changing yet again, and we firmly believe that tablets are rapidly emerging as the most exciting new platform. The unique confluence of technology, interface, mobility and social packed inside these magical devices opens up brand new opportunities to create rich gameplay experiences designed specifically for the platform. In this exciting phase of the company, Greg’s experience, influence and perspective will be a tremendous asset to us.”

Supercell believes tablets are emerging as the platform of choice for the next generation of gamers. Supercell is diligently focused on exploiting the native and behavioral characteristics attached to tablets by designing great gameplay experiences that delight and have long-lasting emotional impact. Battle Buddies, Supercell’s next title, will be the first to demonstrate the company’s Tablet-First strategy.

“I am thrilled to be joining Supercell,” noted Harper. “I was immediately drawn to the phenomenal creative and technical talent of the team in Helsinki and was inspired by their intense passion to deliver the absolute best gameplay experience possible on the mobile tablet platform. What we have seen so far on tablets is only the tip of the iceberg.”

A senior management executive with more than 15 years experience in the games industry, Harper has worked with an array of entertainment and media companies, ranging from start-ups to industry-leading corporations. Harper brings strategic, business and operating leadership, as well as keen insight and industry connections to establish and strengthen the company’s foothold in North America.

Before joining Supercell, Harper served as Interim President of California-based Electrified Games. Previously, he co-founded VOO!, a social media start-up providing users with collaborative entertainment experiences. Prior to VOO!, Harper served for several years as president of iWin, the developer, publisher and distributor of mass-market, cross-platform games. Harper managed the transformation of the company while growing revenue, maintaining profitability and expanding the business to new channels and international territories.

Harper was one of the pioneers of the online games space, co-founding two defining companies in the 1990s: Pogo and Total Entertainment Network. During his tenure as Pogo’s vice president of business development, Harper implemented a new business plan that transitioned the company to focus on and embrace the casual game player. This move ultimately became the winning factor for Pogo, leading it to its acquisition by Electronic Arts in 2001. Prior to Pogo, Harper co-founded TEN, the pioneer in multiplayer online games, and served as the company’s business development head. At TEN, he raised more than $30M, secured industry-first multiple title and exclusive content licensing partnerships and launched The Professional Gamers League, the first cyber athletic tournament.

About Supercell

Founded in June 2010 in Helsinki, Finland, Supercell was formed by games industry veterans who have collectively developed more than 165 games across 12 platforms. Backed by investors including Accel Partners and London Venture Partners (LVP), Supercell creates rich gameplay experiences that are handcrafted for mobile platforms and employs a Tablet-First strategy.

SOURCE: Supercell