Russian Publisher Mail.Ru Games Shuffles Management

Newsbrief:: Hamburg-based Mail.Ru Games, which is publishing Crytek's free-to-play Warface in Russia, shifted its management team to appoint a new deputy CEO and managing director. Alexander Goldybin served as the online game company's managing director for four years, but he is stepping away to take on a new role at the publisher's Russian parent Mail.Ru Group, where he'll advise the internet services firm's "future strategic direction." Goldybin will be replaced by Ilya Mamontov, who previously worked as Mail.Ru Games's Global Publishing director for three years. Before that, he headed Buka Entertainment's licensing and localization department, and was CEO of independent localization company ATOMY. Mail.Ru Games also revealed that Roman Golovatchev, the company's head of operations for the past two years, has been promoted to chief operating officer and deputy CEO. The publisher specializes in localizing and operating MMOs from other countries for Russia and neighboring CIS countries, such as Perfect World II, Neverland, and Bigpoint titles.