Henry Pan, our our Global Business Development Director, has been with us for fourteen years now, and he's gathered a lot of knowledge and experience along the way.
Check out the interviews below to find out more about him and the excellent advice he has for us as we prepare to head into the new year!
What are your responsibilities as the Global Business Development Director?
The objective of my role is to promote Gameloft games and its solutions across all different types of platforms and hardware manufactures. In other words, it’s a B2B job. I work with mobile phone, PC, and TV original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), automotive consoles, in-flight entertainment, and other gaming peripheral companies.
How did you come to be at Gameloft?
I graduated with a bachelor's degree in visual communication. Before I joined Gameloft, I spent two years working in a web solution company and then four years working at Nexon, a Korean online gaming company.
How have you grown professionally and personally over the years at Gameloft?
I started working at Gameloft in 2006, so this is my fourteenth year with the company. I started as a key account manager handling Nokia, Motorola, and Sony in Southern Asia. Back then, my job was to get our java games preloaded onto those devices. In addition into this, I also helped set up and manage the Samsung Fun Club app store and LG game store.
After a few years, I was tasked to expand into the Chinese market and that was when I had my first project with Huawei. I got our Block Breaker Deluxe game onto one of Huawei’s device models, and we’re been working together ever since. It’s been over ten years now!
During my time in China, we also explored venturing into new businesses such as TVs, setup boxes, and HTML 5 games. Afterwards, I was given the opportunity to lead the global businesses, which is what I still do today.
What does an average day look like?
I usually split my day into four parts:
First, I overview my projects. I check stats and revenue, update reports, strategize proposals, and carry out research.
Secondly, I talk to my team, individually or in groups. We go through their projects and brainstorm on new proposal or solutions for challenges. I also have many calls with other Gameloft departments.
Thirdly, I try and reach out to our different partners. It can be as simple as a catch-up call to see what they’re currently working on to pitching certain ideas or proposals to them. It’s a good way to get a feel of the current trends.
Lastly, I reply to emails. I get many emails, so I try to reply to all of them as quickly as possible.
What was one of your favorite projects?
Every project is special, but if I were just to name one, I would say when we licensed out Asphalt 9: Legends to an arcade machine maker. Why is this project special to me? First, this was the first time we licensed an IP out to a partner and the arcade machine industry.
Secondly, the people from the arcade company were really nice to work with, professional, very accommodating, and sincere. Thirdly, who doesn’t like arcade games? Imagine playing Asphalt 9: Legends on a moving platform and doing an in-game car jump. It was amazing!
What do you enjoy most about working at Gameloft?
My job is never monotonous. If you have a good idea and back it up with good reasons and stats, management will support you. Gameloft is open-minded and pragmatic, which I appreciate.
What advice do you have for those wanting to grow and succeed in a similar role?
Focus on the positives, and be imaginative. Plan your targets, and take small baby steps to achieve them. And above all, have faith and perseverance.
How has the industry evolved, and what do you hope to achieve in the future with Gameloft?
Mobile gaming is the fastest growing source of income in the entire video game industry. But fastest growing also means fastest changing. Even though the industry is evolving rapidly, so far we have adapted well. The challenge now is to become number one!
What would you like to say to the community for the new year?
Don’t stress, do your best, play a game, and forget the rest.
After a well-deserved break, be sure to check out all our job opportunities in our studios around the world here! And see you tomorrow for another edition of The Vault!
