Mike Hayes

For the American mixed martial artist, see Mike Hayes (fighter).
Mike Hayes
Born Weymouth, England
Occupation Businessman
Employer Sega
Known for Setting Up Sega Racing Studio, Acquiring Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive

Michael "Mike" Hayes is an English businessman, best known as the president and CEO of SEGA Europe and SEGA of America (collectively SEGA West). He has also held executive positions at Codemasters and Nintendo UK and currently leads the digital and e-commerce division of Mercia Fund Management.[1][2][3]

Career

Mike Hayes' earliest video game credits show that he was involved in the localization of Starcraft at Blizzard Entertainments in 1998.[4]From 2002 to 2003 he is credited in various Codemasters games for a role in public relations.[4]

During the late 1980s Mike was employed by General Foods (soon to be bought by Kraft), where he was a Brand Manager and then Marketing Manager on their desserts products including Angel Delight and Bird's Custard. It is unknown where he was employed between then and 2001.

He joined the company in 2004 as Managing Director.[5] In 2005, Hayes became president contributing to the company's reinvention from a hardware maker to a third-party games publisher. In his tenure as COO of SEGA Europe, he was credited for restoring SEGA's dominance in Europe by setting up the now-defunct Sega Racing Studio and acquiring video game studios Creative Assembly and Sports Interactive.[6]

In June 2009, Mike Hayes replaced Simon Jeffery as President of Sega of America, becoming the head of all Western SEGA branches.[7][8] He remained Sega's president until June 2012.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Weber, Rachel (19 September 2013). "Ex-Sega CEO joins VC fund Mercia Fund Management".
  2. ↑ Rose, Mike (18 September 2013). "Former Sega CEO Mike Hayes heading up new game VC fund".
  3. ↑ Tipps, Seth (19 September 2013). "Mike Hayes heads VC's new games division".
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Mike Hayes". Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Head Hunter: Redemption Manuals
  6. ↑ Maxwell, Ben (30 April 2012). "Sega Europe and US boss Mike Hayes to step down".
  7. ↑ Seganerds.com
  8. ↑ MCVUK.com

External links