Harvey Elliott voted Chair of Ukie as trade body sets sights on next phase of UK games growth

Playstack CEO to lead Ukie Board as organisation begins next chapter of its Supercharged Strategy 

Ukie, the trade body for the UK’s video games and interactive entertainment industry, has today announced that Playstack CEO Harvey Elliott has been voted in as its new Chair.

Elliott will lead the Ukie Board as the organisation continues delivery of its 5-year Supercharged strategy, its plan to support games businesses and strengthen the economic, cultural and global impact of UK games.

A well known figure in the UK games industry, Harvey Elliott is CEO of publisher Playstack, which has built an international portfolio of games including the global hit Balatro. He joined the Ukie Board in 2025 and brings extensive experience across publishing, investment, technology and growing games businesses.

As he takes on the role, Elliot will work with Ukie to build on the achievements of the first two years of its Supercharged Strategy and help shape the organisation’s next chapter.

The games industry is evolving at rapid pace, posing both immense challenges and emerging opportunities for the full breadth of the UK games industry, from independent studios all the way through to the largest developers and publishers that operate here.

A key priority for Elliot will be supporting the next generation of UK games talent and businesses, with a particular focus on ensuring that independent and mid market companies have the support and representation to grow and succeed.

At the same time, Elliott will champion the UK’s position as a world leading centre for games development and its pre-eminence as a stable regulatory environment for AAA developers and publishers.

Harvey Elliott, incoming Chair of Ukie and CEO of Playstack, said:

“The UK has everything it needs to remain one of the best places in the world to build games businesses. We have extraordinary creative and technical talent, globally recognised studios and a long history of producing games and intellectual property that reach audiences around the world.

We are also at an inflexion point, the industry has changed in the last few years and we have a real opportunity to build on the strengths that have made the UK a world leader, while ensuring the next generation for games businesses can thrive.

I look forward to working with Nick, the Board and our members to build on the achievements of Supercharged, renew our support for the industry and bring businesses together around a shared ambition for the future.”

Nick Poole OBE, CEO of Ukie, said:

“Harvey understands both what makes the UK games industry exceptional and what needs to change if we want more British businesses to thrive here.

His experience building and investing in games businesses makes him an ideal Chair as we continue delivering our Supercharged strategy and sharpen our focus on creating the conditions for UK companies to start, grow and succeed globally.

We have made significant progress over the past two years, having secured greater public investment in games and gathered support from the most pro games parliament in history.

Our industry looks very different today from when Ukie was founded, and it continues to evolve rapidly. Over the coming months, we will be setting out the next chapter for the organisation, building on Ukie’s heritage while ensuring we represent the full breadth of the modern UK games industry and the businesses shaping its future.”

Elliott succeeds Maria Sayans, who has served as Chair of Ukie since 2024.

Ukie’s Supercharged strategy was launched in 2024 and is built around three priorities: Elevating Games, Energising Business and Empowering Talent. It sets out the organisation’s ambition to support the long term growth of the UK games and interactive entertainment industry and strengthen the UK’s position as one of the world’s leading places to make, grow and invest in games.