Cologne, February 11, 2025 – With just a week to go until the devcom Leadership Summit 2025, the final program and full speaker lineup have been announced. This exclusive event, taking place February 19-21 in Lisbon, will bring together top industry executives for confidential discussions, networking, and strategic insights.
Among the new additions to the speaker lineup is Maciej Wlodarkiewicz, Executive Producer at CD PROJEKT RED, joining an impressive roster including Julia Pfiffer (Astragon), Ricardo Flores, Paulo Gomes, Garry Seto (Massive Damage Inc.), Marie Mejerwall, Shawn Foust (Fortis), Patryk Grzeszczuk and Jakub Stokalski (11bit Studios), Aliaksandr Babko (EPAM), and Dean Takahashi (VentureBeat).
Keynotes and Sessions
The Summit will feature two high-profile keynotes:
- Wednesday: Shawn Layden, former President of Sony Interactive.
- Thursday: Shawn Foust, COO of Fortis.
The second summit day will start with a session titled “Media and Content Creators Might Be Killing Game Discovery”, presented by Gareth Williams (PressEngine), addressing the growing challenge of discoverability in an oversaturated digital marketplace, where traditional marketing and organic reach are increasingly disrupted by content algorithms and influencer-driven ecosystems.
Throughout the three-day summit, participants will engage in a range of expert-led roundtables covering critical industry topics, including Leadership & HR, Production & Operations, Business & Strategy, Design & Player Experience, Tech & Tools, and AI in Game Development. Attendees will also have the opportunity to join hands-on workshops, networking sessions, and exclusive cultural experiences.
Workshop, Networking Opportunities and side events
In addition to keynotes and discussions, the devcom Leadership Summit offers attendees unique experiences to foster meaningful connections:
- A workshop on Leadership Health and Performance by Michelle Flynn.
- Plenty of casual networking opportunities including shared dinners in the renowned Sud Lisboa Hall.
- An historical tramcar ride through Lisbon, offering an immersive journey into the city’s rich history and culture.
- A visit to the Pilar 7 Observation Deck, providing breathtaking views of Lisbon’s iconic landmarks.
Industry Leaders Coming Together
This year’s summit continues devcom’s efforts of creating a secure and open environment where C-Level professionals can exchange ideas and explore strategies to navigate industry challenges. With its combination of networking, and high-impact sessions, the devcom Leadership Summit 2025 is positioned as the premier gathering for gaming industry leaders, offering a forum in which top executives can engage in strategic talks and expand their influential networks.
Confirmed Speakers and Moderators:
- Aliaksandr Babko, he/him EPAM AI in Game Development Roundtable Host
- Chris Fonnesbech, he/him CEO & Head of IP at Leverage Design, Creativity & Player Experience Roundtable Host
- Christoffer Holmgard, he/him Co-Founder & CEO at modl.ai AI in Game Development Roundtable Host
- Dean Takahashi, he/him Lead Writer at VentureBeat Panel Host
- Gareth Williams, he/him Co-Founder at Pressengine Speaker
- Garry Seto, he/him Massive Damage Inc. Production & Operation Roundtable Host
- Jakub Stokalski, he/him Game Director/Design Director at 11bit Studios Speaker
- Jehanne Rousseau, she/her Former CEO at Spiders Panelist
- Julia Pfiffer, she/her CEO at Astragon Panelist
- Lars Janssen, he/him CEO at Deck13 HR & Leadership Roundtable Host
- Lisa Kretschmer, she/her Studio Manager at IO Interactive HR & Leadership Roundtable Host
- Maciej Wlodarkiewicz, he/him Executive Producer at CD PROJEKT RED Panelist
- Marie Mejerwall, she/her Production & Operation Roundtable Host
- Maxime Josse, he/him CEO & Co-Founder at Savage Level Panelist
- Michelle Flynn, she/her Health & Performance Coach, Workshop and Roundtable Host
- Natasha Skult, she/her CEO & Creative Director at MiTale Ltd. Tech & Tools Roundtable Host
- Patryk Grzeszczuk, he/him Game Director/Creative Director at 11bit Studios Speaker
- Paolo Gomes, he/him CEO at Paolo Games Panelist
- Ricardo Flores, he/him Business, Strategy & Innovation Roundtable Host
- Shanti Bergel, he/him Managing Director at Transcend Fund Business, Strategy & Innovation Roundtable Host
- Shawn Foust, he/him COO at Fortis Keynote Speaker
- Shawn Layden, he/him Former President at Sony Interactive Keynote Speaker
- Yves LeYaouanq, he/him Chief Content Officer at Focus Entertainment Panelist
Direct links for devcom Leadership Summit #dls2025:
###
About devcom devcom is host of the official developer conference of gamescom (devcom Developer Conference) and Europe’s largest community-based event for games industry professionals. Throughout the year, devcom provides content, events and services tailored to the games industry based on its core values of diversity, inclusion and sustainability.
The next devcom Developer Conference #ddc2025 will take place in Cologne from August 17 – 19, 2025.
The upcoming devcom Leadership Summit #dls2025 will take place in Lisbon, Portugal from February 19 – 21, 2025.
All devcom branded formats are developed & organized by game events GmbH, a subsidiary of game – Verband der deutschen Gamesbranche (the German Games Industry Association and owner of the gamescom & devcom brands).
Official Press Release from our partner Devcom
