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Serious Games International, a development team that produces game-like applications such as training programs for corporate firms, has hired five new industry figures to aid in both academic research and the creation of serious games, Develop reports.
Mark Stanger, Gary Knight, Paul Ranson, Felix Bradshaw and Mark Cottan join the organization which recently brought on former Sega executive Mike Hayes as executive chairman.
Stanger, whose work experience includes Eidos and Warner Bros., takes on the role of commercial director and wil coordinate operations at the company. Knight, a former senior vice president of marketing for Sega now takes on the role of content and branding consultant at SGI. Former managing director of Slam Productions, Ranson, is development director of the company's creative studio, while Codemasters alumni Bradshow will lead business development. Finally, Cottam will head SGI's new office located in the United States as vice president of business development and operations.
"The senior team that we're building here will work with our colleagues in academia to bring a fresh but proven perspective to the business of applying games techniques to serious software solutions," said managing director Tim Luft.
"The potential is massive: global revenues in this market are predicted to double over the next three years."
Serious Games International is an offshoot of the Serious Games Institute first set up at Coventry University in England. The organization will begin producing titles designed for commercial needs.