Sega of America Appoints Ian Curran as COO and President, but Who Is This Man?

Early Wednesday Morning, Sega of America and Atlus U.S.A. announced that Ian Curran will take over as Sega of Amerca’s new Chief Operating Officer (COO) and President, effective today, August 1.

During this new role, Ian will be utilizing the resources at hand to maximize the profitability of the publishing and Sonic business units within the Americas and EMEA, he will also serve on board of Atlus U.S.A. and report directly to the CEO of Sega West, Tatsuyuki Miyazaki and work with the Sega offices based in Irvine, Burbank and London.

However, who IS Ian Curran? He worked as Cheif Executive Officer for Gioteck for 3 years up until 2016. Here he introduced processes to the company to improve key points of a business as well as create a corporate vision. Here he managed a staff of designers who created innovative gaming accessories.

However, when it comes to his video game specific resume, Mr. Curran started work at the now shut down THQ in 2000 where he held multiple top positions, the last being Executive Vice President, Global Publishing. He ended up working for the company until after they filed class 11 bankruptcy in December 2012. During his time with the company, Mr. Curran focused on the digital sales division of THQ titles and ensured they saw a profit. However, we all know how that company ended up.

Mr. Curran seems like he is capable of holding this position. Looking at the portfolio of titles released by THQ, Mr. Curran is not afraid of having fun with games. Keeping that structure and bringing it to a company like Sega is a must in a time where Sega’s popularity is raising.

For those who don’t remember, in 2015 Sega shut down its large 300 employee office based in San Fransisco. This was in an effort by the company to increase profits and focus on their digital market. To not be confused, their digital focus was mainly to tap into the mobile smartphone market, which we haven’t really seen much of.

“My thanks and gratitude to Mr. Miyazaki and the entire company leadership for this opportunity to lead our operations and executions in the Americas and EMEA. I appreciate all of the incredible efforts Mr. Hiraoka has made to lay the groundwork for our operations in the Americas,” said Mr. Curran in a statement “Coming off the success of Persona 5, Sonic Forces, Sonic Mania Plus, and the Yakuza series, and with so much more on the horizon, including Valkyria Chronicles 4, it is an incredible time to join the team. As part of the Sega family, we are inheritors of an expansive body of work and opportunity which I plan to help reach its full potential.”

“To those who work in our offices, it is no secret that we have seen a surge of new staff as we explore new opportunities and titles for our audiences. Since relocating our offices from San Francisco to Irvine and Burbank, we have established an even stronger business with still more ample room for growth. As we grow, it becomes necessary for our business to expand its own leadership, incorporating new skills and ideas,” said Miyazaki-san in a statement. “It is with great excitement we welcome Ian to the Sega family in this new COO role and as President of Sega of America, roles necessary for our burgeoning success in the Americas. In support of Ian’s vision, senior management and I will work with him to ensure he has the support he needs to continue growing our business.”

“We’ve been looking for someone to fill this role for some time, so we couldn’t be more pleased to have Ian join our operations as COO and President of Sega of America. His many years of experience in video game publishing, leading, developing and transforming organizations, is a perfect fit for our long-term aspirations and will be invaluable as we look to expand our business,” said Naoto Hiraoka, CEO and President, Atlus U.S.A. Inc. and Senior Vice President, Sega of America. “I look forward to working alongside Ian in our common goal to take our work in the Americas and EMEA to new heights as I prepare to focus on my new role.”

Only time will tell what Mr. Curran brings to the company, but with so many great titles in the pipeline for Sega and Atlus, the industry vet is coming in at a great time. Good luck Mr. Curran!