Strengthening board leadership

The challenge

Virtuos is one of the world’s leading video game development companies and a trusted partner to many of the largest global gaming publishers. Headquartered in Singapore, Virtuos operates a rapidly expanding network of studios across Asia, Europe and North America, providing end-to-end game development, engineering and art production services to the global gaming industry.

Over the past decade, Virtuos has experienced significant growth through both organic expansion and strategic acquisitions, establishing itself as one of the largest independent game development companies globally. This expansion has created a highly international organisation, comprising a network of specialised studios operating across multiple markets, cultures and talent ecosystems.

As the organisation continued to scale, the leadership team recognised that sustaining long-term growth in a talent-driven industry required not only strong commercial leadership but also deeper expertise in organisational capability, leadership development and people strategy at the highest levels of governance.

In industries built on creativity, technical excellence and innovation, the ability to attract, develop and retain exceptional talent is often the defining competitive advantage. For Virtuos, strengthening the board with deeper people leadership expertise was therefore viewed as a strategic priority.

Gilles Langourieux, Chief Executive Officer of Virtuos, retained Frazer Jones to advise on the appointment of a Non-Executive Director with extensive HR and organisational leadership experience. The objective was to bring a seasoned people leader onto the board who could provide independent perspective on talent strategy, leadership capability and organisational effectiveness as the company entered its next phase of global growth.

This search was led by Sean Tong in Singapore, in partnership with the Frazer Jones global executive search team.

The solution

Leveraging Frazer Jones’ global HR leadership network and extensive experience placing senior HR executives across technology, media and high-growth organisations, Sean Tong and the team conducted a comprehensive international search.

The mandate involved identifying senior HR leaders who combined global executive experience with the strategic credibility required to contribute effectively at board level. A particular emphasis was placed on individuals who had worked closely with CEOs and boards to shape organisational strategy during periods of transformation and rapid growth.

The search spanned major international markets including Singapore, London, New York, Hong Kong, Sydney and several leading European technology hubs. Throughout the process, Frazer Jones worked closely with the Virtuos leadership team to ensure that candidates were assessed not only for their executive experience but also for their ability to provide independent insight and strategic perspective on organisational matters at board level.

Through a rigorous mapping and evaluation process, the team identified a group of highly respected HR leaders with global experience and strong governance capability.

The outcome

Virtuos appointed a highly accomplished global HR leader as its new Non‑Executive Director. The appointed individual brings more than two decades of international experience in people strategy, leadership development, and organisational transformation, and has supported multiple organisations through complex growth journeys that included large‑scale M&A and multi‑year transformation programmes. They have worked closely with CEOs and boards to build leadership capability, strengthen organisational culture, and design structures that enable sustainable business growth.

Her appointment demonstrates Virtuos’ recognition that people, leadership, and organisational design are central to long‑term competitiveness, particularly within a creative‑technology industry where talent quality directly influences business outcomes. By adding this expertise to the board, Virtuos has strengthened its ability to anticipate future organisational needs and to evolve leadership and culture in line with global expansion.

client testimonial

“Sean combines deep specialization in HR leadership searches with an exceptional understanding of the regional talent landscape. His ability to navigate both global standards and local market nuances allowed us to identify a board-level HR leader who is precisely aligned with Virtuos’ strategic needs.”

Gilles Langourieux, Chief Executive Officer, Virtuos

cANDIDATE testimonial

“I am truly honoured to have been appointed as an Independent Director at Virtuos, a global leader in video game development and digital entertainment. I look forward to contributing to Virtuos’ continued success by supporting the Board in driving strong governance, sustainable growth, and innovation across its global operations.

My passion for responsible leadership and diverse board dialogue aligns closely with Virtuos’ global growth ambitions. I am excited to work alongside a talented leadership team and fellow board members committed to excellence, creativity, and long-term value creation for all stakeholders. I look forward to this new chapter of making a meaningful impact at Virtuos.

As a candidate, I am very grateful for and impressed with Sean’s guidance throughout the journey. His speed of working, candid advice and exceptional level of trust with his client, Virtuos, set a new standard for what excellence should look like with every outstanding search consultant.”

Non-Executive Director, Virtuos