IGT names Jamie Knight Chief Studios Officer

• IGT confirmed the appointment of Jamie Knight, who will assume the role of Chief Studios Officer
• Knight, bringing two decades of experience with some of the gaming industry’s largest suppliers, will succeed Jean Venneman, effective January 1, 2027
• Hector Fernandez, IGT’s CEO, praised Venneman’s dedication and leadership, while welcoming Knight

The leading global provider of gaming, digital and financial technology and solutions, IGT, will be strengthening its C-suite with a new senior-level appointment.

On Monday, the company confirmed that Jamie Knight, an executive with more than 20 years of experience in the gaming industry, will assume the role of Chief Studios Officer.

Jean Venneman to step down from Chief Studios Officer role at the end of 2026

In a press release, IGT confirmed that Knight will be succeeding Jean Venneman, who is set to retire at the end of 2026 after more than 30 years in the gaming industry.

Effective from January 1, 2027, Knight will officially assume the role of Chief Studios Officer and is expected to play a key role in the company’s future growth.

She will be in charge of IGT’s studio teams, helping drive innovation in game mechanics and mathematical modeling.

Moreover, the new Chief Studios Officer will play a central role in fostering creative talent and delivering dynamic and engaging content that addresses the growing demand of players across the globe.

"I'm energized to lead our studio teams and build on the strong foundation in place," Knight said.

"Together with our talented teams across IGT and Everi, we'll push the boundaries of what's possible in game design, content strategy, and math innovation to deliver world-class experiences on the floor," the new Chief Studios Officer added.

The new Chief Studios Officer brings more than two decades of experience

Overall, Knight has more than 20 years of experience with some of the gambling industry’s largest suppliers.

Her expertise spans from creative vision to implementing transformative and original concepts that drive growth, product innovation and player engagement.

Hector Fernandez, IGT’s CEO, commended the dedication of the outgoing Chief Studios Officer.

"Jean's leadership created the foundation for this next phase of growth," he said.

Moreover, Fernandez continued: "She brought together talented teams, strengthened how our studios operate and raised the bar for creative and operational excellence. We are deeply grateful for everything she has contributed to our organization and our industry."

The executive highlighted Knight’s creative instinct, experience in leadership and focus on innovation and design, predicting that her wide range of skills is going to be imperative for IGT’s future expansion and growth.

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