SYBO Names New CMO

SYBO has announced Philip Hickey will be chief marketing officer for the company, as Naz Amarchi-Cuevas, currently chief marketing officer, SYBO has decided to step down from the role at the end of the year. 

In his new role, Hickey will seek next-level marketing opportunities as SYBO and its mobile game, “Subway Surfers,” continues to grow in its second decade, including setting a strategy for a new genre that SYBO is entering in the puzzle category.  

A former professional basketball player turned award-winning mobile game marketeer, Hickey joins SYBO from Seriously Digital Entertainment, where he led brand, marketing and communications for eight years for the “Best Fiends” game. Before that, he was responsible for heading the marketing strategy and execution for “Angry Birds” at Rovio.  

“We couldn’t be happier, in fact, delighted to welcome Phil; it was almost surreal and serendipitous to have been able to bring him on board during this time,” says Mathias Gredal Nørvig, chief executive officer, SYBO. “It feels like a natural step change for us to bring someone as strong as Phil, already having worked with Naz and David Byrne, who serves as our COO and head of games, while they were at Rovio.” 

Amarchi-Cuevas joined SYBO in 2017 and has been serving as chief commercial officer for “Subway Surfers,” which celebrated its 10th birthday this year with a massive lift across both its social media numbers and fan base.  

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“Naz has been fundamental to SYBO’s growth story,” says Gredal Nørvig. “Her leadership, business acumen and keen understanding of the entertainment space have no doubt been one of the driving factors in our worldwide continued success. We are sad to see her go but support her wholeheartedly as she continues in her professional journey, and most importantly, she remains a friend of the studio.” 

SYBO is planning to move to a new office in the heart of Copenhagen in the first quarter of the year and counts more than 35 nationalities within its 160-employee base. It is currently looking for additional members to join the company and plans to be at about 200 by the end of 2023, to support “Subway Surfers” and additional games in the pipeline.