Ilkka Paananen

Supercell is one of Europe’s most successful mobile gaming companies and a defining force in the global industry, known for its hit titles Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Hay Day and Brawl Stars. Ilkka Paananen co-founded the company in 2010 and continues to serve as Chief Executive Officer.

He is widely recognised for developing Supercell’s decentralised “cell” structure, which gives small, autonomous teams full creative and operational ownership of their games. This model has enabled consistent innovation and sustained commercial performance, with several titles exceeding $1bn in lifetime revenue.

Under Paananen’s leadership, Supercell has remained one of the world’s largest mobile games companies. In 2025, it generated $3.01bn in revenue and $1.06bn in EBITDA. He has also overseen Supercell’s expansion beyond its internally developed portfolio through investments and acquisitions. Space Ape Games became part of Supercell in 2024, while in 2026 the company agreed to acquire the remaining stake in Metacore, bringing Merge Mansion into Supercell’s live-games portfolio.

Founded in Helsinki in 2010, Supercell became a global success through the sustained popularity of its mobile games, several of which have each surpassed $1bn in lifetime revenue. Clash of Clans alone has generated more than $10bn since launch and continues to perform strongly more than a decade later. Brawl Stars and Clash Royale remain among the top-grossing games on iOS and Android, while Hay Day and Boom Beach continue to deliver long-term returns through live-ops support and a loyal player base.

In 2016, Chinese technology group Tencent acquired an 81.4% majority stake in Supercell, valuing the company at over $10bn. Despite the acquisition, Supercell continues to operate independently, maintaining its small-team philosophy and selective approach to growth.

Beyond its core studios, Supercell has expanded through both acquisitions and investments in external developers. Space Ape Games became part of Supercell in 2024, while in 2026 the company agreed to acquire the remaining stake in Metacore, bringing Merge Mansion into its live-games portfolio. It also continues to back independent studios through Supercell Investments, including developers such as Trailmix.