Edinburgh Interactive 2010

Monday 11th January/...Edinburgh Interactive Festival today announced a series of key appointments and developments that will strengthen the event and create a step change in its development from 2010.

Nintendo UK MD David Yarnton has joined the Executive Committee and becomes Vice Chairman of Edinburgh Interactive. Former Sony Corp Europe President Chris Deering remains Chairman.

Mark Phillips, a senior partner at Harbottle & Lewis, has also joined as a new member of the Edinburgh Interactive Executive Committee with Harbottle & Lewis providing legal services to the festival.

EIGF Limited, the non-profit company behind the Festival, also welcomes a new Board. With immediate effect the new directors will be: ELSPA Chairman Andy Payne, former TIGA Vice Chairman Jeffrey Meak and BH Founder Simon Harvey.

“The appointments to the Executive Committee are a reflection of the gravitas of Edinburgh Interactive and the desire both ELSPA and TIGA shares along with their respective members to see Edinburgh Interactive develop as a key part of the world’s event calendar,” said Deering.

“David Yarnton’s appointment as Vice Chair gives us one of the industry’s most respected business leaders and is a reflection of Nintendo’s commitment to one of the world’s leading family arts and culture festivals.

“The Festival has grown year on year and the support it receives each year grows with it, with Nintendo supporting the festival once again this year it serves to reflect this.” Deering concluded.

David Yarnton said: “The Edinburgh Interactive Festival is a wonderfully unique and creative environment; there is no other event like it in the world. It brings together everyone with an interest in the culture and enterprise of games and entertainment, coupling a conference with a programme of Screenings and family engagement. I am delighted to join Chris Deering in helping the development of the Festival.”

Andy Payne said: “The Edinburgh event has proved its value to the industry and has a unique reputation for fresh, imaginative, creative and original thinking. At a time when the global community is looking to engage with Edinburgh we have put in place a strong team to help its stewardship and assist in its creative and commercial development.”

Jeffrey Meak is based in Edinburgh and spearheaded the original thinking behind the Festival. He will be working closely with all the partners of the Festival.

The Edinburgh Content Committee meanwhile includes:

Chris Deering Chairman of Edinburgh Interactive,

CEO of Some Research Sean Dromgoole,

Kieran O’Neill CEO/Co-Founder of Playfire,

Managing Partner of Hemisphere Capital Matt Rothman,

Peter Cowley Global Head of Original Digital Programming at Endemol,

Wendy Rosenthal of Hyper Entertainment,

Content and Creative Manager at BH Chris Tufnell

Executive Director of Redbedlam Ltd Fred Hassan

 End

Information for editors:

Edinburgh Interactive 2009 line-up included:

A keynote session by Peter Moore, President EA Sports and a session by Playfish COE and Co-Founder Kristian Segerstrale.

Sessions from Endemol, Turbine, Some Research, Smalti, Olswang LLB, Oil and Playfire.

Panel sessions by CEO of Sulke Corp, Chairman of Bigpoint Games and Head of business Development at Jagex Ltd.

Games industry luminaries Margaret Robertson and Edge Online Editor Alex Wiltshire also spoke.

For more information visit www.edinburghinteractivefestival.com

About Edinburgh Interactive 2010

Now celebrating its eight successful year, Edinburgh Interactive is powered up to showcase the continued popularity, growth and influence of video games. And this year, the Interactive Festival is more synchronised with the world famous Edinburgh Festival than ever, appealing to the press, public and professionals from film, television and interactive media backgrounds alike, offering a bigger event for delegates, more consumer focusing – an overall spectacle for all.

As ever, Edinburgh Interactive wouldn’t be complete without the cornerstones of conferences, keynotes, panel sessions, debates, games screenings and even more people than ever jostling to get through the doors.

Edinburgh Interactive is managed by an Executive committee and a board drawn from all areas of the games industry, including publishers, developers and the two industry trade bodies: The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA) http://www.tiga.org and the Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA) http://www.elspa.com. EIGF Ltd is the non-profit company behind the festival.

Contact:

Laura West, Account Director, BHPR

laura.west@bhpr.co.uk

+44 (0) 1462 456780