MAM
Sony Computer Entertainment acquires Guerrilla Games
MUMBAI: Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) has acquired Guerrilla Games to further expand its development capability as part of Worldwide Studios (WWS).
In a strategic move to secure long term excellence in game development for current and future PlayStation platforms, the acquisition of Guerrilla has formalised the already close working relationship between Sony Computer Entertainment and the studio.
Commenting on the acquisition, SCE WWS president Phil Harrison said, “Guerrilla have a great combination of creative, technical and production talent in their team and we have enjoyed a close working relationship with their management and staff for a number of years. I am delighted that they will now become a member of the SCE Worldwide Studios network of developers. As we prepare for the launch of PlayStation 3 next year, this acquisition strengthens our development portfolio to take full advantage of the exciting entertainment opportunities provided by PSP, PlayStation 3 and beyond.”
Guerrilla managing director Hermen Hulst said, “Sony Computer Entertainment – with its truly global presence, leading platforms and commitment to innovation – is an ideal partner for Guerrilla and we are delighted to take our existing relationship to the next level.”
Guerrilla B.V.(http://www.guerrilla-games.com), based in Amsterdam, Netherlands is the award winning developer of the Killzone game for PlayStation 2, which has shipped close to two million units worldwide. The studio is currently working on a new Killzone title for PlayStation 3, early scenes of which were shown to wide acclaim when revealed at E3 earlier this year.
The studio is also developing a further game within the Killzone universe for PlayStation Portable (PSP). Guerrilla signed an exclusive development agreement with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe in March 2004 and the acquisition will help the team grow as a key creative element of the SCE Worldwide Studios network.
Brands
Faber-Castell India appoints Sunaina Haldar as director – marketing
With stints at Tata, SleepyCat and ADF Foods under her belt, Haldar is primed to redraw Faber-Castell’s brand story
MUMBAI: Faber-Castell India has poached Sunaina Haldar from ADF Foods, appointing her director – marketing as the German stationery brand looks to muscle up in a category that is rapidly reinventing itself around creativity and self-expression.
Haldar hit the ground running. “My first couple of weeks have been incredibly energising, understanding consumers, visiting markets, engaging with retailers and immersing myself into the world of Faber-Castell Group,” she said.
She arrives with considerable firepower. At ADF Foods, Haldar ran marketing across India and international markets for a portfolio spanning Ashoka, Aeroplane, Camel and ADF Soul. Before that, she was vice-president – marketing at direct-to-consumer mattress brand SleepyCat, where she helmed brand, content and performance marketing. Her résumé also includes a stint leading marketing, new product development and CRM for Tata SmartFoodz at Tata Consumer Products, no small proving ground.
Between corporate roles, Haldar also operated as a fractional CMO for early-stage startups, building marketing strategy and operational structures from scratch, a signal that she knows how to move fast with limited resources.
With 18 years straddling FMCG, D2C and the startup world, Haldar now takes the reins at a brand that has long owned the classroom but is clearly hungry for the living room. In a stationery market where the pencil has become a lifestyle statement, Faber-Castell has picked someone who knows exactly how to sell that story.
