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Joseph Abrams - Chairman
Joe has acted as a financial consultant to a number of companies throughout his career. In 1998, he co-founded eUniverse, Inc., a publicly traded Internet entertainment portal, later renamed Intermix Media Inc. Intermix was majority owner of MySpace.com,and was sold to News Corp. for $580mm in 2005. In 1983, Joe co-founded The Software Toolworks, Inc., a publicly held developer, publisher, and distributor of educational and entertainment software. He served in various capacities, including President. Software Toolworks was sold to Pearson, Plc. in 1994 for $462mm.
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Ian Higgins - Chief Executive Officer
Ian co-founded Empire in 1987 after initial exposure to the games software business with MicroDealer, part of the Mirror Group. Ian has the primary responsibility for the development of the sales and marketing side of Empire's business including the relationships with retailers, distributors and co-publishers in North America.
Ian was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Empire on 7 June 2000.
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Simon Jeffrey - Managing Director
Simon met Ian while at the Mirror Group and agreed to start the Empire business with him in 1987. Simon will continue to take primary responsibility for managing development, both internally and the relationships with third party developers. He was appointed Managing Director of Empire on 7 June 2000.
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David Seftel - Financial Director
Following his graduation from Reading University with a BA in Economics, David became a qualified accountant with Saffery Champness. He became an assistant manager at BDO Stoy Hayward in 1985 and subsequently worked as a financial controller for two private companies between 1988 and 1997.
David joined Empire in November 1997.
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Geoffrey Heath - Non-executive Director
Geoff has over thirty years experience in the multi-media industry. He has served on the Board and has advised various US and UK companies in the multi media arena ranging from computer games to internet-related companies. In 1988, he established Mindscape International. The company grew from a staff of two to 120 and was acquired as part of the Software Toolworks Group by Pearson, PLC. Geoff is currently Chairman of the Climax Group, CEO of NCsoft Europe. Recent awards: INDIN award for outstanding contribution to the Games Industry and Honorary Doctorate at University of Abertay, Dundee.
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Clive Kabatznik - Non-executive Director
Clive has been President and CEO of Silverstar Holdings since the company’s inception in 1995. He also served as Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer since October 1995. Clive previously served as President of Colonial Capital, Inc. a Miami-based investment banking company that specializes in advising middle market companies in areas concerning mergers, acquisitions, private and public agency funding and debt placements. He also has extensive experience in taking companies public since 1981.
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Vip Patel Bsc(Hons) MBCS CITP - Vice President of Sales and Operations
A graduate of the University of Kent and Chartered IT Professional, Vip joined Empire in October 2007. Vip entered the games industry in 1985 with Mindscape as European Sales Manager and has subsequently held various board level positions within the interactive games software industry.
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Karim Farghaly - Vice President of Sales USA
Karim Farghaly joined Empire Interactive in July 2007 as Vice President Sales for North America. He oversees all sales activities for both Empire Interactive and Strategy First in the U.S., Canada and Latin America and is based in Austin, Texas.
Previously he was Vice President, Sales at Aspyr Media since December 2002, where he was responsible for Aspyr's North American retail sales and business development. Prior to Aspyr, Karim was European Sales Director for the OEM division of Interplay Entertainment in London between 1998 and 2002.
Karim is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin where he received a BA in Computer Sciences in 1989.
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Duncan Backus - Head of Legal and Business Affairs, and Company Secretary
A graduate from City of
London Polytechnic with an LLB in Business Law and a qualified Barrister,
Duncan entered the interactive games business in 1996 joining Electronic
Arts for four years as their first lawyer for Europe later moving over to a
dedicated business affairs role. Following two years in television, he then
joined the Empire Group on 5th August 2002.
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Roger Cheung - Head of Future Products
Roger obtained a BA in 3D design from the University of Wales and an MA in industrial design from the University of Central England. He joined Hasbro Europe in 1995 as a product designer for the toys and games group and subsequently became a producer for Hasbro Interactive. He joined the Empire Group in August 1998.
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