UK games industry trade body Ukie has hired a trio industry veterans to work on special projects related to partnerships, education and diversity.

Vanessa Joyce, who has a decade of experience in the games sector, has joined as Corporate Relations & Strategic Partnerships Consultant.

She will be responsible for expanding the trade body’s relationships with companies outside of the games industry, as well as building support for Ukie’s current projects.

Ukie expansion

Marie-Claire Isaaman (pictured) meanwhile will take up the role of Diversity & Education Research Consultant, where she will support gender and wider diversity research, and work on education projects including Ukie’s Student Membership and creative computing initiative Digital Schoolhouse.

She will remain in her position as CEO of Women in Games.

Ukie has also recruited Laura Martin to its Digital Schoolhouse programme, where she will take up the position of Programme Development Executive. There are currently 29 Digital schoolhouses across the UK designed to teach creative computing through offline, play-based workshops.

“I’m pleased we can bring the expertise of Vanessa and Marie-Claire along with their extensive knowledge, ideas and networks, to help scale the ambitions of Ukie on behalf of the UK games industry.” Said Ukie CEO Jo Twist.

“Laura’s digital marketing expertise will be hugely beneficial to the Digital Schoolhouse project at this important nationwide expansion period. They are all well-respected and talented and their experience will be a critical part of the Ukie team and our mission.”