IGT has appointed Jamie Knight as chief studios officer from January 1st, 2027, putting her in charge of game design, content development and studio operations across the supplier’s combined IGT and Everi organization.
Knight will succeed Jean Venneman, who will retire on December 31st after more than 30 years in the gaming industry, the company announced on Monday.
In the new role, Knight will set priorities for IGT’s studio teams and oversee work on game mechanics and mathematical modeling. The company said she has two decades of experience with major gaming suppliers and began her career in a creative role.
“We’ll push the boundaries of what’s possible in game design, content strategy, and math innovation,” Knight said in the announcement.
Venneman began working at IGT in the early 1990s and held senior positions spanning product development, licensing, technology and operations before returning to the company in 2024.
Since then, she has led the rebuilding of IGT’s global studio operations, assembling a team of more than 1,200 employees and introducing shared operating practices across its studios, according to the supplier.
IGT CEO Hector Fernandez said Knight would build on that work, citing her experience in creative development, studio leadership and innovation in game design and mathematics.
“Jean’s leadership created the foundation for this next phase of growth,” Fernandez said. He added that Venneman had brought the studio teams together and strengthened their operations.
