Published , by Asif Khan
Published , by Asif Khan
Today, Ubisoft has announced some material changes to their leadership structure following an internal review of its workplace culture. Ubisoft Chief Creative Officer Serge Hascoet has resigned from the company, and his role will be filled by CEO Yves Guillemot in the interim. Two more employees are leaving the company, with Ubisoft Canada Managing Director Yannis Mallat and Global Head of HR Cecile Cornet both choosing to step down.
Here's a statement from Ubisoft CEO and Co-founder Yves Guillemot:
Ubisoft has fallen short in its obligation to guarantee a safe and inclusive workplace environment for its employees. This is unacceptable, as toxic behaviors are in direct contrast to values on which I have never compromised — and never will. I am committed to implementing profound changes across the Company to improve and strengthen our workplace culture. Moving forward, as we collectively embark on a path leading to a better Ubisoft, it is my expectation that leaders across the Company manage their teams with the utmost respect. I also expect them to work to drive the change we need, always thinking of what is best for Ubisoft and all its employees.
Today's departures are an escalation of accountability at the company. Ubisoft had begun their own internal investigations last month as many stories started to circle the company, specifically the Ubisoft Montreal studio.
While some of the stories coming out of Ubisoft are really bad, this current wave of accusations is not unique to their company, with the world of Smash esports flipped on its head in the past few weeks with a raft of sexual misconduct allegations.
In the case of Ubisoft, there really seemed to be a toxic workplace culture that had been left festering for years with no accountability, and today's actions are a good first step to repairing the company's image. There are good people who work at Ubisoft Montreal, and everywhere else in the company, and it is unfortunate that their hard work has been tarnished by the actions of poor leadership in the organization. The show must go on today, with the Ubisoft Forward livestream set to kick off in the next few hours.