Emma Smith
Hestia Talent Partners
As founder and company director of Hestia Talent Partners, I offer a credible and trusted HR service to support your studio. My specialism lays with supporting business growth and giving strong foundations to build upon, also being able to cut through complexity to find clearer solutions forward or to find the change needed and put those into practice.
During my time as Director of Talent & Social Impact, I oversaw Creative Assembly's Talent pipeline and inbound Immigration and Relocation. I have been with the studio for almost 15 years, seeing the studio grow from c.100 to over 800 people strong and multiple awards including BAFTA's and GI.Biz Best Places to Work five years in a row as well their special awards, in Education two years and CSR award most recently.
As founder of CA’s Legacy Project and a part of GI.biz Top 100 Most Influential Women, fortunate enough to recieve a GI.Biz Best Places to work -G into Gaming award 2021 for work with Diversity & Inclusion, TIGA Games Education Award 2021 -Outstanding Contribution to Games Education and Training and an MCV Develop Women in Games Award - Games Campaigner 2022. I drove forward the studios long-term commitment to positive social impact through education, community and charity. From playground to industry, the Legacy Project worked to give people the skills needed to become the games development talent of tomorrow and promote games as a power for good.
This has led to key partnerships to drive forward the quality of games education in the UK, including BAFTA, working with Teesside University and launching a Creative Assembly Scholarship Award, East London Arts and Music Academy, which reaches students from BAME and disadvantaged backgrounds. I am chair for UKIE's Education group, and sit on the ESG board for Next Gen Skills
Emma Smith is speaking at the following session/s
Power Up Your Game Studio: The Essential Role of Ops and HR Support for Studio Success
Join us for a friendly and informative session on how early collaboration with Operations and HR can transform your Studio's success. Learn how working together with Ops and HR can reduce stress and help your team focus on what they do best - creating amazing games. We'll cover the essential roles and responsibilities of Ops and HR, and share practical insights, compelling data, and actionable advice. This is your chance to discover how investing in these partnerships from the beginning can make a difference. Perfect for Studio owners and leaders, this talk will equip you with the knowledge to leverage Ops and HR for long-term success.
Session speakers
