Catalina Lou Rincon
Sales Director, Video Gaming, EMEA
Cheryl Savage
Director, Gaming, EMEA
Cynthia Egan
Director of Mobile Gaming, EMEA
Three female directors have spoken about the growing inclusivity within the gaming sector and the increasing opportunities for women to succeed.
It is within the tech sphere that women are playing an increasingly pivotal role as there is a 50/50 gender split between men and women playing games online.
Changing culture
Senior female managers within the industry acknowledge the importance of creating an inclusive environment for women. They want to encourage more women to enter the sector to further underpin creative diversity.
Emphasising the opportunities for women to aspire to leadership roles in cutting-edge industries, each has reflected on their changing experiences and perceptions over the last two decades.
In the early 2000s, few women’s voices were heard in gaming company boardrooms. But that has changed to the extent that within the gaming team at Meta, the 50/50 leadership balance has been surpassed in favour of women.
Be brave
Catalina Lou Rincon is Sales Director of Video Gaming (EMEA) and has worked for the company for five years, with an extensive background in the gaming sector.
Early in her career, Rincon worked for a company in Sweden. She was inspired by their female CEO and the way she balanced her life, family and a successful business — while pushing for an equal level of women and men in every department.
Having seen the gender balance in the gaming sector and the tech industry evolve over the last 15–20 years, Rincon says: “At Meta, diversity is top of mind when it comes to our hiring. We always strive to keep it as equal as possible.”
Her advice to women seeking a career in gaming is: “Be brave because we are now in a better position to enter this industry and be embraced; be yourself, be heard and be able to make an impact — that is critical.”
At Meta, diversity is top of mind when it comes to our hiring. We always strive to keep it as equal as possible.
Catalina Lou Rincon
Complex challenges
Cynthia Egan, Sales Director of Mobile Gaming (EMEA), has worked in gaming and entertainment for 20 years and joined Meta’s gaming team in North America eight years ago, before moving to Dublin.
Egan has seen an evolution in creating video games that are more inclusive for women but notes that inclusivity within the workplace has equal importance and is a core element of their managerial training. “We work in sales, and you equate sales with being extroverted or loud,” she says. “But you have to ensure that the quieter voices are also being heard.”
She says tech is a great choice for women who like complex problems at scale and understand that it takes different types of people to confront these challenges.
Different lens
Cheryl Savage is the Director of Gaming (EMEA) and has worked in the media and tech industry for two decades. She moved from the United States to Ireland to take up her current position.
Highlighting the female role models across the organisation and how that mantle of responsibility passes on to current senior managers, Savage emphasises the opportunities for women in cutting-edge tech industries.
“It is about embracing our curiosity about what we want to be,” she says. “Game developers are looking for that diversity of thought because there is not just one audience for any type of job or one consumer for a specific product. So, bring a different lens to every role that you are looking to go for.”
Strong female leaders
The emphasis on DE&I (diversity, equity and inclusion) has changed in the gaming industry with programmes specifically supporting women and empowering under-represented groups.
“This is what the three of us, along with so many colleagues — both male and female — look to project, encourage and drive in every decision we make — from hiring to having more inclusive, diverse characters within gaming,” says Savage.
