Funcom Appoints CEO For New Canadian Studio

Norwegian developer and publisher Funcom (Age of Conan, Anarchy Online) appointed Miguel Caron as the chief executive officer of its recently established branch in Montreal, Funcom Games Canada. The new CEO will lead several "strategic initiatives" within the company's MMO segment, and is charged with growing the new office's staff. Announced last September, the Montreal studio will play "a large and important part" in the development of Funcom's upcoming conspiracy-themed MMO The Secret World, according to the game's director Ragnar Tornquist. The studio is expected to hire between 100 to 150 employees over the next year and a half to help with that effort. Prior to Funcom Games Canada, Caron spent 15 years heading several public and private businesses such as IT firm BCM International, mobile company NoWire Telecom, tech products design house Lyrtech, and management consulting firm Kigami Management. Funcom COO Ole Schreiner was initially announced for the Canadian chief executive position months ago, but the company evidently chose to install Caron instead. "We are thrilled to have Miguel join us at Funcom," said Funcom CEO Trond Arne Aas. "Our Montreal based Company is central to a string of new business initiatives in Funcom, both in the high-end MMO space and in the casual MMO space." He added, "Mr. Caron will be instrumental in developing and expanding those initiatives. We have already found Quebec and Montreal to be an excellent location for business and we look forward to further expand our operations here under the leadership for Miguel."