Everplay appoints veteran gaming exec Weider as new CEO

(Sharecast News) - Everplay Group announced the appointment of experienced gaming executive Mikkel Weider as its new chief executive officer on Thursday, with effect from 1 January, as the independent games developer and publisher looked to accelerate growth and expand its portfolio. Weider, who would also join the board, founded Nordisk Games in 2016 and led it until 2023, overseeing its expansion from a start-up to a business with more than 1,300 employees across Europe and the United States through a combination of organic growth and multiple studio acquisitions.

He is currently a partner at Delphi Interactive, chair of Outlast Games and a board member of M2 Animation and Nasdaq-listed Trophy Games, and previously held board and senior roles at a range of gaming and high-growth technology companies including Avalanche Studios Group, Supermassive Games, Raw Fury, Starstable, Trustpilot, Bookatable and Match.com.

Upon his appointment, interim executive chair Frank Sagnier would revert to a non-executive role.

Sagnier said the board was "delighted to welcome Mikkel to everplay and are confident his extensive gaming and merger and acquisition track record will be invaluable to our business over the coming years," adding that "Mikkel understands and shares the group's clear strategic vision, and is joining everplay at an exciting time, with the business in a strong position and delivering positive momentum."

He said Weider "has the right credentials to accelerate growth and take everplay to the next level."

Weider said he was "thrilled to be joining everplay, whose iconic games I've grown up playing and enjoying," and endorsed the group's strategy of building "market-leading labels focussed on clearly defined genres and audiences."

He said the resulting portfolio "drives immense levels of expertise and synergies within each vertical" and that he looked forward to "harnessing the tremendous knowledge, skills and passion across the group, and maintaining the business' growth trajectory."

At 1514 GMT, shares in Everplay Group were up 2.64% at 350p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.