Thunderful Group appoints Martin Walfisz as new CEO
Thunderful has announced that its Board of Directors yesterday decided to appoint Martin Walfisz as new CEO. Martin is currently a Board Member in Thunderful and will begin his duties as the new CEO no later than 1 September 2023. He succeeds Anders Maiqvist, Acting CEO since 10 August 2022.
Martin is an experienced games industry entrepreneur, executive and advisor of leading companies in the Nordic and European games industry. Martin founded his first game company, Massive Entertainment, and grew it from zero to 150 people during his twelve years at the helm. It is today one of Europe’s premier development studios and when Ubisoft acquired the studio in 2008, Martin decided to leave to focus on other commitments.
In 2016 Martin joined Nordisk Film to establish a new M&A division, Nordisk Games, focusing on investing in game companies across Europe. During his time as Senior Partner and Chief Strategy Officer, he provided strategic support to the executive leadership teams of the group companies, such as Avalanche Studios Group (SE), Supermassive Games (UK), Star Stable (SE), MercurySteam (ES) and Raw Fury (SE). Martin also established Nordisk Games’ central support services team, actively helping the studios improve their production and publishing operations.
“With more than twenty-five years as a successful entrepreneur, executive, strategic advisor and investor within the industry, Martin brings an incredible depth and breadth of knowledge to Thunderful” said recently elected Chair of the Board Patrick Svensk. “Martin will leave his role as Board Member in Thunderful to focus his efforts on his new duties as CEO.”
“Thunderful is a very exciting company that I have been following since its inception, said new CEO Marin Walfisz. “To be asked to lead the group as CEO is both an honour and a big responsibility. I look forward to working with the talented people of Thunderful to capitalise on, and develop, the business potential, creativity and passion that exists within the group. Thunderful is on an exciting growth journey, and I’m convinced that we’ve only seen the beginning,” says Martin Walfisz.
“On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Anders Maiqvist for his great achievements as Acting CEO,” Patrick Svensk continued.
“Under Anders’ leadership, Thunderful’s Distribution segment has restored margins and generated significant cash flows while the Games segment has delivered solid profits and market-leading organic growth. I am confident Martin now has a solid platform to further develop the company from and I wish Anders all the best in his future endeavours.