Pocket Gamer Connects London 2019 will take place on January 21st to 22nd. To give you a taste of what to expect, we'll regularly be publishing interviews with the speakers at the show.

For more details on PGC London and to book a ticket, head to the website here.

In today's Speaker Spotlight we're talking to Burke & Best MD Chris Kempt.

Kempt fell into games during the dot-com boom after discovering that it was possible to make a pretty good living out of making remarkably stupid games in the software formally known as Flash.

Over the last two decades Kempt has directed the production of well over a hundred games and entertained hundreds of millions in the process. His focus is now in the production of free-to-play mobile games.

Alongside this he also chaired the committee of the renowned BIMA Awards, managed to get a degree in art without ever being able to draw, learnt to take a 90-degree left hand bend at eighty miles an hour and had a pretty good stab being a rock star.

At Pocket Gamer Connects London Kempt will host a talk entitled 'Running a Games Business Without Killing Yourself'.

PocketGamer.biz: Could you tell us a bit about the company?

Chris Kempt: Burke & Best was founded 2015 and are primarily focussed on the production of free-to-play mobile games.

Their team's title Amateur Surgeon 4 hit the number one spot in 32 countries including the UK and the US.

What does your role entail?

Looking after the overall direction of the studio, supporting the management/leadership team and liaison with external partners.

Why did you want to work in the games industry?

To be honest I was a bit lucky and fell into games as a result of what was, initially, a hobby. I feel very privileged to have managed to turn that hobby into a job!

What advice would you give to anyone looking to get into it?

Just find a way to make simple games, build-up a portfolio and share it.

What are your thoughts on the industry in the last 12 months?

It feels like mobile games and its associated audience has now grown-up. The models are starting to mature, the content is getting ever better and there's plenty of opportunities for those that understand how to produce good content.

What major trends do you predict in the next 12 months?

I think the trend towards large IP-led productions will continue however, alongside this, we'll see a resurgence of both more casual and original content. People will talk about "The Death of Fortnite" but, in reality, it'll probably continue to make more money than almost everything else.

How has the games industry changed since you first started?

Immeasurably, indeed It's easier to say how it hasn't changed - it's still full of some of the most amazing people I've ever met.

Which part of the Connects event are you most looking forward to and why?

About an hour after my talk by which point the essential embarrassment should have ebbed.

Find out more about Pocket Gamer Connects London 2019 on the website.