Veteran Producer Judd Leaves Capcom To Head New Talent Agency Arm

Longtime Capcom producer Ben Judd will be heading a new Japanese base of operations for talent agency Digital Development Management. The agency, whose video game and digital entertainment recruitment operations have until now centered on Europe and the U.S., now wants to expand into Japan to help developers there work with North American and European employers. Judd will be lead agent for DDM's Japan operations: "Ben's breadth of publisher experience in Japan combined with our ever-expanding client roster allows DDM to generate and facilitate projects for publishers, brand and license holders, and investors now on a worldwide basis," says DDM founder and managing partner Jeff Hilbert. Judd's new role will involve helping client developers meet publishers, along with negotiating deals and finding outsource opportunities for companies' individual projects. As a producer at Capcom, Judd worked out of Japan on such major franchises as Resident Evil, Devil May Cry, Bionic Commando and Mega Man. DDM says Judd was ideal for the role because he's worked both with Capcom's Japan head office as well as its U.S. branch, and international negotiation skills will be central to his new responsibilities. Digital Development Management was founded in 2005 by Hilbert and agency president Joe Minton, aiming to provide talent management services focused on video games and interactive entertainment. It counts 15 studios in its global roster, and it helps connect license holders with publishers, investors and sales services, among other relationship-building work as needed. It has locations in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles, Boston, Stockholm and Northampton, MA.