Ubisoft names Yves Guillemot’s son as co-CEO of new Tencent-backed subsidiary
“What matters now isn’t my name, it’s the work ahead,” says Charlie Guillemot
Ubisoft has named the co-CEOs of its new Tencent-backed subsidiary, including current Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot’s son, Charlie Guillemot.
The French publisher announced the unnamed subsidiary, which is partly owned by Tencent after a €1.16 billion investment, earlier this year. The aim is for the subsidiary to oversee Ubisoft’s three biggest IPs, Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six, and act autonomously from its parent.
On Wednesday, Ubisoft named Charlie Guillemot as co-CEO of the new venture. Charlie previously led Ubisoft-owned mobile studio Owlient, before leaving to co-found Web3 indie firm Unagi, and rejoining Ubisoft earlier this year.
He will be joined as co-CEO by 35-year company veteran Christophe Derennes, who is the former head of the successful Montreal studio, and Ubisoft’s managing director for North America.
According to Ubisoft, Charlie and Christophe’s main responsibilities will be to “define the strategy and vision” for its brands, and “create the right conditions for the teams to operate at the highest level”.
“With complementary backgrounds, Christophe Derennes and Charlie Guillemot bring strong industry expertise, deep knowledge of the Ubisoft ecosystem, and a shared culture of innovation,” it said.
Speaking to Variety, the new leadership team was asked to address concerns of nepotism regarding Charlie’s appointment as co-CEO.
Charlie Guillemot responded: “I’d like to address this question directly, if I may. I completely understand where it comes from, and I want to be clear about it. Yes, I’m Yves’ son. That’s not something I hide from. But my appointment isn’t only about family ties; it’s about what Ubisoft needs at this moment.”
He continued: “I’ve spent the last decade building experience both inside and outside Ubisoft, leading teams, managing brands, and navigating change in a fast-moving industry. I also made the conscious choice to step away when it made sense, to learn and grow elsewhere.
“What matters now isn’t my name, it’s the work ahead. Ubisoft is at a pivotal moment. What’s expected of me is to help push the company forward by bringing energy, focus, and by relying on the incredible expertise that already exists across the teams. I see myself as someone here to contribute, support, and help create the right conditions are in place for everyone to do their best work.”
Tencent owns a minority stake in the spun-off company, which is 100% controlled and consolidated by Ubisoft.
