Simon Hade, co-founder of Space Ape Games, has stepped into the role of CEO at NextBeat – Music Apps & Games, a new venture dedicated to developing music-focused apps and games. The London-based studio is set to leverage Hade’s extensive experience in the gaming industry, with a leadership team that includes several former Space Ape employees.
Joining Hade in this new endeavor is Derek De Filippo, who takes on the position of Head of Business Development and Partnerships, bringing his expertise in forging key industry relationships. The team also welcomes Ryan Davies as the Head of Growth, Imogen Turner as Head of Operations, and Vicki Wong as Art Director, each contributing valuable skills to help shape the studio’s creative and operational strategies.
Additional key hires include Joe Adams as Chief Financial Officer, George Yao as Head of Live Games and Founding Employee, and Nikhil Suresh as Product Development Lead. With a strong, experienced team in place, NextBeat is poised to make an impact in the intersection of music and gaming.
While details remain under wraps, this marks Simon’s latest project following Space Ape’s full acquisition by Supercell. More information about NextBeat is expected to emerge in the future.
“Excited to announce that I’m starting a new project that a bunch of us have been cooking up with Supercell for a while now. Will reveal all soon.” wrote Simon on LinkedIn.