Jennifer MacLean

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Jennifer MacLean
Occupation(s)Former CEO at 38 Studios and former executive director at IGDA

Jennifer MacLean is known for being the chief executive officer at 38 Studios, an independent game developer, from 2009 to 2012 [1] and the executive director of the IGDA from September 2017 to April 2019. [2] [3]

Contents

Biography

Early career

After beginning her career working with Brian Reynolds and Sid Meier at Microprose Software [4] in 1992, she joined AOL in 1996, where she became Programming Director for the Games Channel. [5] She went on to become vice president and general manager of games at Comcast Corporation, [6] and the chair of the board of directors for the International Game Developers Association. [5] In March 2008 she joined 38 Studios as Senior Vice President of business development, and moved into the position of CEO in the same company in August 2009. [1]

Late career

MacLean left the 38 Studios upon its bankruptcy in 2012; dating her departure to March 2012, when she took a leave of absence. [7] As an executive director at the IGDA, MacLean joined Amazon and became the director of their worldwide business development. She has stated that her main goal is to work with small to medium-sized game developers and that her new position will allow her to help with the development of the different stages within Amazon Web Services, Alexa, Twitch Prime, and Amazon.com [8]

At IGDA, MacLean was responsible for expanding new chapters in Pakistan, Istanbul, Kenya, and Fortaleza. Special interest groups for Latinx and Muslim game developers were also formed under MacLean's leadership. [9]

MacLean announced in 2019 that she would be stepping down from her position as Executive Director of the IGDA. [9]

She is a frequent speaker at interactive entertainment industry events, and has earned a BA in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins University and an MBA with a concentration in International Business from the Columbia Business School.

Recognition

MacLean was named one of the "Game Industry's 100 Most Influential Women" by Next Generation [10] and one of the top 20 Women in Games by Gamasutra. [11]

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References

  1. 1 2 "38 Studios Appoints Jennifer MacLean as CEO" (Press release). 38 Studios. 21 August 2009. Archived from the original on 28 May 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "IGDA Appoints Jen MacLean Permanent Executive Director Archived 29 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine ." International Game Developers Association. Retrieved 28 December 2018.
  3. ↑ "Jen MacLean Steps Down as IGDA Executive Director Archived 18 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine ." International Game Developers Association. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  4. ↑ Bye, Cody (6 April 2008). "38 Studios: An Interview with Jennifer MacLean, VP of Business Development". Master Games International. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Board of Directors". International Game Developers Association. Archived from the original on 3 May 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
  6. ↑ Brady, Shirley (12 June 2006). "Q&A With Jennifer MacLean: Comcast's Guru of Fun and Games". Access Intelligence LLC. Retrieved 11 September 2008.
  7. ↑ Nesi, Ted (23 May 2012). "38 Studios loses CEO and high-profile VP, LinkedIn suggests". WPRI-TV. Archived from the original on 27 May 2012. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  8. ↑ "Ex-IGDA chief Jen MacLean joins Amazon Game Tech to run business development". VentureBeat. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  9. 1 2 Gaming, ISKMogul (8 April 2019). "IGDA Executive Director Jen MacLean Steps Down". ISK Mogul Adventures. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  10. ↑ Cherbak, Fiona (11 September 2006). "Game Industry's 100 Most Influential Women". Edge Magazine . Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  11. ↑ Ruberg, Bonnie (21 May 2008). "Women in Games: The Gamasutra 20". Gamasutra . Retrieved 18 May 2012.
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