Let's Meet Sara Bach, the Boss of the Boss of Hay Day
May 21, 2024 1:42:01 GMT
Tahoe 🐾, emailkathy, and 4 more like this
Post by lynnk2021 on May 21, 2024 1:42:01 GMT
www.pocketgamer.biz/interview/83591/supercells-head-of-live-games-sara-bach-talks-company-changes-world-beating-live-ops-and-how-to-get-back-on-top/
I'd like to excerpt from the above article for discussion. I think since Sara Bach is the Head of the Live Games Division, all current five General Managers report directly to her. And kudos to Supercell CEO IIkka Paananen for hiring an expert to upgrade his leadership team.
IDK if Mr. Paananen plays Hay Day daily with his family, but his Live Games Division Chief does with her mother and daughter. I hope Ms. Bach gives plenty of feedback to the Hay Day GM. ;-)
I'd like to excerpt from the above article for discussion. I think since Sara Bach is the Head of the Live Games Division, all current five General Managers report directly to her. And kudos to Supercell CEO IIkka Paananen for hiring an expert to upgrade his leadership team.
PocketGamer.biz: Can you tell us a little about your role as head of live games at Supercell and why you joined the company?
Sara Bach: In the spring of 2023, I began engaging with Ilkka and the Supercell team, who were at the time exploring ways to grow their famously small teams and get better at operating live games. Our interactions started as an exchange of ideas, as I shared some of my experiences from EA, King & Mojang of growing teams and organisations in gaming. I've always believed in the power of empowered product teams, where each member feels a deep sense of ownership and plays an important role in the games' and business' success. However, achieving this in larger organisations, with numerous stakeholders and specialised departments, can be challenging.
...Now, as head of live games, I oversee the operation and development of Supercell's live games, such as Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Hay Day, and Boom Beach. Ilkka made it clear from the start that the overarching responsibility for the portfolio's performance rests with me. The mission was clear - grow our live games! I was ready to take on this challenge as I believed strongly in the company's vision and saw the amazing talent and potential everywhere I looked.
What does the role of head of live games look like on a daily basis? What's your day to day like?
My role is to ensure that each game not only excels as an individual business unit but also contributes to our collective success. In my opinion, our diverse portfolio is one of our key strengths, and it sets us apart from the competition. From Brawl Stars with its younger audience, through the Clash games with a bit older and more male-skewed players to Hay Day, which I play every day with my mom, who is 71 and my daughter, aged 11, there truly is a Supercell game for everyone. While each game provides a unique experience, our achievements are interconnected, mirroring an Olympic team's collective triumph. During my first few months, I have focused on building a supportive group of leads and fostering a culture of shared success. Each game competes in its own "sport," but we aim for greater heights by pooling our strengths. To me, this is a huge differentiator in an industry where mobile game companies seem to double down on one big title or drive a portfolio strategy of many small games with few significant breakthroughs.
My responsibilities are diverse, from ensuring operational excellence and growth in our live games to contributing to Supercell's overarching vision as part of the leadership team. In total, our live games organisation consists of almost 200 people at this point and my time is split between organisational matters, people matters, product learning and strategy, and business performance during any given day. While I am accountable for the overall portfolio performance, I see my job as that of the Olympic team leader. I ensure we have the right contestants in each sport and create the absolute best circumstances around them so they can perform at their best.
Sara Bach: In the spring of 2023, I began engaging with Ilkka and the Supercell team, who were at the time exploring ways to grow their famously small teams and get better at operating live games. Our interactions started as an exchange of ideas, as I shared some of my experiences from EA, King & Mojang of growing teams and organisations in gaming. I've always believed in the power of empowered product teams, where each member feels a deep sense of ownership and plays an important role in the games' and business' success. However, achieving this in larger organisations, with numerous stakeholders and specialised departments, can be challenging.
...Now, as head of live games, I oversee the operation and development of Supercell's live games, such as Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, Brawl Stars, Hay Day, and Boom Beach. Ilkka made it clear from the start that the overarching responsibility for the portfolio's performance rests with me. The mission was clear - grow our live games! I was ready to take on this challenge as I believed strongly in the company's vision and saw the amazing talent and potential everywhere I looked.
What does the role of head of live games look like on a daily basis? What's your day to day like?
My role is to ensure that each game not only excels as an individual business unit but also contributes to our collective success. In my opinion, our diverse portfolio is one of our key strengths, and it sets us apart from the competition. From Brawl Stars with its younger audience, through the Clash games with a bit older and more male-skewed players to Hay Day, which I play every day with my mom, who is 71 and my daughter, aged 11, there truly is a Supercell game for everyone. While each game provides a unique experience, our achievements are interconnected, mirroring an Olympic team's collective triumph. During my first few months, I have focused on building a supportive group of leads and fostering a culture of shared success. Each game competes in its own "sport," but we aim for greater heights by pooling our strengths. To me, this is a huge differentiator in an industry where mobile game companies seem to double down on one big title or drive a portfolio strategy of many small games with few significant breakthroughs.
My responsibilities are diverse, from ensuring operational excellence and growth in our live games to contributing to Supercell's overarching vision as part of the leadership team. In total, our live games organisation consists of almost 200 people at this point and my time is split between organisational matters, people matters, product learning and strategy, and business performance during any given day. While I am accountable for the overall portfolio performance, I see my job as that of the Olympic team leader. I ensure we have the right contestants in each sport and create the absolute best circumstances around them so they can perform at their best.
IDK if Mr. Paananen plays Hay Day daily with his family, but his Live Games Division Chief does with her mother and daughter. I hope Ms. Bach gives plenty of feedback to the Hay Day GM. ;-)
