Savvy Games Group taps Nika Nour as new SVP and head of international business development

Savvy Games Group has appointed Nika Nour as its new SVP and head of international business development. 

Nika joins Savvy to help establish Saudi Arabia as a global gaming hub. She will lead international partnerships, attract game studios to the Kingdom, and advise on mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments. 

Her career spans Congressional Affairs, digital advocacy, and leadership in the games industry. She held roles as a media specialist for the U.S. House of Representatives, served as director of communications for the Internet Association and head of public affairs for the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). 

She was executive director of the IGDA Foundation and recently served as head of partnerships at Genvid Entertainment, where she oversaw projects like Silent Hill: Ascension and DC Heroes United. 

Growth plans  

Savvy, owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, aims to drive growth in the global game and esports industry while building the Kingdom's domestic ecosystem. 

Its strategy includes fostering partnerships with international gaming companies to enhance their access to the KSA and MENA markets, promoting collaboration and mutual growth.

The state-backed firm has grown to over 3,500 employees worldwide across 22 countries following the establishment of its own development house at Steer Studios and investments in global games firms.

Acquisitions include the $4.9 billion deal for Monopoly GO! and Stumble Guys developer Scopely, esports firm ESL FACEIT Group, and competitive gaming technology and infrastructure firm Vindex. It has also invested $265m in esports events operator VSPO for a 30% stake and owns an 8.1% equity stake in Embracer Group.