We are delighted to announce the placement of James Watkins as CFO and COO at Star Stable Entertainment. James will act as both COO and CFO and as a key member of the leadership team alongside CEO Johan Sjoberg.
Star Stable Entertainment was founded in 2011, sparked by a desire for a game that could make a difference. Their MMORPG game Star Stable Online has gone on to become the world’s number one horse game with over 21 million registered users across 180 countries. It can be played cross-platform, on both online and mobile devices, giving players the maximum freedom in how they play. The company has about 130 employees with a female to male ratio of 50/50, which is unheard of in the gaming industry. The company is majority owned by Nordisk Games, a subsidiary of Egmont Group – a large Danish media organization.
James Watkins has over 15 years of experience in a broad spectrum of finance activities including M&A, strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting, financial reporting and financial analytics. He moved into the games industry when he joined EA in 2012, where he worked at EA’s DICE studio, known for hit games like Battlefield, Mirror’s Edge and Star Wars Battlefront.
In 2020, James left EA to join Spin Master, a Canadian toy manufacturer with a digital games business. There, he led finance for their digital games business and contributed to the strong growth of Toca Boca, helping increase revenues from $20m to $100m.
Commenting on the appointment, Peter Franks, Partner at Neon River commented, “Star Stable Entertainment is at the forefront of the games sector, providing an epic online world where tween and teen girls could share an amazing experience. We are delighted to have helped secure Jamie as the new Chief Financial Officer at Star Stable Entertainment. I’m confident Jamie’s extensive experience in building strong financial organizations and shaping financial strategies will contribute to the growth of Star Stable Entertainment.”
See also
Placed: Dayan Yar joins Ten Square Games as Chief Product Officer
Placed: John Dillon joined Wireless Logic as Managing Director, Product & Marketing
Placed: Nicola Marlin joins Lloyd’s List Intelligence as Chief Product Officer
About Neon River
Neon River is a boutique executive search firm that helps technology and digital companies hire exceptional leadership talent. We work across VC-backed scaleups, PE-owned businesses, and global tech companies, bringing deep sector expertise, high-touch service, and a track record of delivering outstanding candidates quickly and effectively.