Ubisoft has named Cécile Russeil as its new Executive Vice President, responsible for communications, corporate affairs, diversity, inclusion, accessibility, human resources, and legal matters.
With more than three decades of experience at Ubisoft, Russeil has held key leadership positions within the company. She established Ubisoft’s legal department in 2000 and has been the Chief Legal Officer for the past decade.
Having been a member of the executive committee since 2022, Russeil will now leverage her expertise in international business law and deep understanding of the company’s culture in her new role.
Positive Impact
Russeil’s new role combines responsibilities previously overseen by the former Chief People Officer, Anika Grant. With oversight of diversity, equity, and inclusion, human resources, and legal affairs, Russeil is positioned to facilitate positive change within the company by directly influencing each department.
This strategic decision comes after a period of uncertainty for the gaming giant, marked by challenges such as poor performance, studio closures, layoffs, takeover threats, cultural probes, claims of toxicity in games, and ongoing management reshuffles. The appointment of Russeil signals a shift towards stability and experience in leadership.
“I am extremely motivated to align the leadership of these critical functions to enhance our organizational agility and ensure seamless coordination of corporate affairs, communications, DEI, HR, and legal strategies across all our global operations,” Russeil expressed.
Ubisoft CEO and co-founder Yves Guillemot stated, “Her unwavering commitment to excellence and dedication to our teams are universally recognized and appreciated. I have complete confidence in her ability to embrace this new challenge and inspire teams in these key areas to drive Ubisoft’s ongoing growth.”
