This month we are hosting a new virtual iLunch event. The session will include presentations and Q&As. We hope to be able to bring back catered events soon! Until then, if you wish to enjoy a bite to eat please bring your own lunch.

Please Register for the Event to receive the Zoom link.

iLunch: Insights: Adapting to Remote Operations & Supporting Team Success

The session will feature a fireside chat between Rich Vogel, VP of Production and Online Services, Certain Affinity and Katie Eaton, Director of Operations & HR, Array of Stars, and Mikkel Stange, Managing Director, Array Of Stars. Here they will ask each other the hard-hitting questions about their challenges, successes, and strategies for driving their teams and projects remotely.

For those looking for guidance and insights on how companies have successfully adapted operational changes managing remote teams, this session brings together experienced managers to discuss their challenges and strategies about leading teams through development and launch of video games and interactive media projects.

The session will cover:

• Common problems that arise when working remotely that slow or halt work and how they can be solved

• Collaborative tools and software that can help your team meet milestones--including budget-friendly options

• Important skills that you need to foster to optimize your ability to manage remote operations and teams

• What it takes to motivate employees when working remotely

• How does working remotely affect project budgets

• And more!

Join us for Insights: Adapting to Remote Operations & Supporting Team Success and gain insights that you can apply to your own company.

Schedule

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Presentations and Q&A

Presenters

Rich Vogel, VP of Production and Online Services, Certain Affinity

Rich Vogel is the Vice President of Production and Online Services at Certain Affinity. He has been doing game development for 20+ years and has worked on both console and online games. He spent the first five years developing console games for Sega, 3DO, and PlayStation. He started his online career as Senior Producer of Meridian 59, where he helped launch and run the live service. He left 3DO to join Origin in 1997 as Senior Producer of Ultima Online, where he helped launch and run the live service for two years. In 2000, Rich joined Sony Online Entertainment as Executive Producer and founded the Austin Studio. He shipped Star Wars Galaxies in 2003 and the first expansion Jump to Lightspeed in 2004. He founded the Austin studio for Bioware in 2005 as Co-GM and Executive Producer of Star Wars: The Old Republic. In 2012, he founded Battlecry Studios, a division of Bethesda Softworks, as Studio Director and worked on DOOM multiplayer and an unannounced project. He left Battlecry in 2017 to join Certain Affinity as VP of Technology and Online Services. Rich speaks frequently on online world design, game development process, running games as a service, and online community management.

Katie Eaton, Director of Operations & HR, Array of Stars

Katie has a degree from Western University, where she studied Psychology and Sociology. She started her career in supplier relationship management at a Canadian e-commerce company, before moving into the marketing world. From there, she has worked at prominent Toronto digital agencies in accounts / project management and production. At Array of Stars, she spent a year and a half as the Head of Production, and more recently has shifted into the role of Director of Operations & HR.

Mikkel Stange, Managing Director, Array Of Stars

Mikkel has a background in business but has spent the last 10 years working with strategic-creative design processes for several global businesses spanning pharma, fintech, telcos, and consumer products.

Before joining the Array of stars team, Mikkel worked for the multinational strategic design consultancy Designit, as well as working with startups and being a freelance strategist, conceptual thinker and process facilitator. Mikkel is currently working at Array of Stars in the role of Managing Director.

Presenting Partner