INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY: TIME TO LOOK BEYOND THE TOKEN GESTURES

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I lead Amiqus’ Executive Search service and, while I may be biased, the reality is simple: few decisions shape a business more than its senior hires. The leaders you bring in define strategy, influence culture, and set the pace for growth. Get it right, and you build momentum. Get it wrong, and it can set you back months, sometimes years. Senior Hires Carry Real Weight Whether you’re hiring a CEO, CTO or a senior leader within your team, these roles come with real responsibility. They’re not just there to ‘do a job’, they’re there to: Set direction and make critical decisions Build, lead and inspire teams Drive growth and innovation Represent your business internally and externally That’s why we often see senior hiring benefit from a more deliberate, structured approach, tailored to the complexity of the role. The Real Cost of a Bad Hire We’re used to hearing discussion about the cost of hiring – but what about the cost of getting it wrong? At the leadership level, the impact goes far beyond salary; a bad hire can have a ripple effect across the whole organisation. Time lost while things don’t quite ‘click’ Unsettled or disengaged teams Projects slowing down or losing direction The cost, stress and disruption of having to start again It’s often estimated that a failed senior hire can cost 3–5 times their salary. And that’s before you factor in the wider impact on your business. So, Why Executive Search? Executive Search is a more proactive, targeted approach, focussed on identifying and engaging the right people – especially those not actively looking. It allows you to: Access a broader, more relevant talent pool Reach experienced leaders who won’t be on job boards Properly assess not just skills, but leadership style and cultural fit Make more confident, informed decisions In short, it helps you get closer to the right hire, not just the available one. How Amiqus Can Help At Amiqus, we know that no two senior hires are the same. We work closely with our clients to really understand what success looks like – beyond the job description. The leadership style needed How the role fits into the wider business The challenges and opportunities the hire will face From there, we build a tailored search: leveraging our network, engaging the right people, and carrying out a thorough, insight-led selection process. We’re also direct. If something doesn’t feel right, we’ll say so. If the market’s telling us something important, we’ll share it. It’s About Reducing Risk Executive Search is designed to give you a stronger chance of getting a critical hire right first time. It helps you to: Avoid rushed or reactive decisions Access better-aligned candidates Save time internally Move forward with confidence Because at leadership level, ‘good enough’ rarely is. Hiring exceptional leaders isn’t easy, but it’s one of the most valuable investments a business can make. Executive Search provides the structure, reach and insight to do it properly. And when you get that hire right, the impact is lasting.  If you’re planning a senior hire, feel free to get in touch – I’m always happy to have a conversation.

It is sadly true that ‘crunch’ still seems to be an issue in some parts of the game dev sector – although thankfully it is becoming less of a problem as employees push back. So, the idea of institutionalising extreme working hours as a standard operating model feels like a huge step backwards. But it’s definitely worth highlighting a workplace trend emerging elsewhere in tech: the so-called ‘996 work culture’ – working 9am to 9pm, six days a week. Originating in parts of China’s tech sector and now resurfacing in segments of Silicon Valley’s AI boom, it’s being discussed as a badge of ambition and competitive drive. For C-suite leaders in the games industry, this is less about alarm – and more about awareness. It’s a trend we hope the industry consciously avoids. The Tech Firms Embracing a 72-Hour Working Week: A deep dive here by the BBC into this practice, providing a need-to-know on this approach to working, as well as revealing the attitudes of some start-up tech founders who believe ‘Slackers are not my brothers’. As the BBC reports, “… for every ambitious company founder, the ever-present fear is that someone else will get there first. Speed is of the essence – and tech sector workers are under pressure to work harder, and longer, to get results quickly.” Get the full inside story here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgn2k285ypo ‘Work Hard, Play Hard’ is Over. Inside Silicon Valley’s 996 Culture: This article by Forbes article describes how some startups are prioritising a simply ‘work hard’ culture, with a relentless productivity focus. 70-hour weeks are becoming an expectation rather than an exception in some spaces, with job ads making no bones about what is expected of employees. One observer notes that he has seen mattresses on the floor in every office of one company: “During interviews, they ask candidates if they’re willing to sleep at work – and people line up for jobs there.” Read more here - https://www.forbes.com/sites/dariashunina/2026/01/22/work-hard-play-hard-is-over-inside-silicon-valleys-996-culture 996 Culture is Coming at ‘Human Expense’: No surprises here, with Business Insider reporting that burnout is increasing fast in Silicon Valley. Interviews with AI researchers and engineers suggest that even when long hours are framed as voluntary or passion-driven, they can lead to exhaustion, strained relationships and health concerns. Burnout appears as a recurring theme, as you can discover here - https://www.businessinsider.com/996-work-culture-silicon-valley-burnout-ai-researchers-2026-2 The Dark Side of the AI Boom: Spotlighting Silicon Valley too, PCMag highlights how Silicon Valley’s embrace of 996 mirrors earlier trends in China’s tech scene, where such schedules drew legal and cultural backlash. The article focuses on some real-life stories from those who are embroiled in this way of working, missing out on time with friends and family and with other areas of their personal lives spiralling out of control. Discover what they have to say here - https://uk.pcmag.com/ai/162909/the-dark-side-of-the-ai-boom-silicon-valley-embraces-chinas-brutal-work-trend Of course, 996 is not a defining feature of the games industry. But the conversation around it matters – particularly when tech sectors intersect, as they increasingly do through AI, live services and cross-platform innovation. As competition and economic pressures increase, the temptation to equate longer hours with greater commitment can grow. But evidence consistently shows diminishing returns beyond a certain point – and increasing costs to morale, retention and reputation.  What are your thoughts…?

Liz Prince , Business Manager of Amiqus and co-founder of the Empower-Up EDI platform, which launched with Ukie two years ago. The website and resources aim to help studios of all sizes on their diversity and inclusion journeys. Here she discusses the importance of mentoring for supporting the professional – and personal – development of individuals, particularly women and those from under-represented groups…

OUR 25th AWARD IN 25 YEARS! 

The recent announcement of this year’s Gamesindustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards once again shines a spotlight on companies that understand what every executive knows but not all act on: culture is not a ‘nice to have,’ it is a growth strategy.

Caroline Stokes is described as a leadership strategist for the ‘5th Industrial Revolution’. And some of you may know her from her days working in the games industry at Sony, where she helped to launch the original PlayStation, plus Virgin Interactive and Nokia. In more recent years, she’s evolved from executive headhunter to an authority on psychological and strategic leadership reinvention via her executive coaching business FORWARD – and she has just authored a new book - AfterShock to 2030: A CEO’s Guide to Reinvention in the Age of AI, Climate, and Societal Collapse. I’ve had the pleasure of talking to Caroline about her background, her work and the blueprint her new book offers to the progressive and forward-thinking C-Suite…

In today’s era of social media scrutiny, it’s no longer enough for a company to emblazen its values on a website or in corporate messaging. As we’ve seen from news reports in recent weeks, for senior leaders, every handshake, every reaction, every off duty moment can become tomorrow’s headline.

IWD is sill crucial to the games industry. Let us tell you why...