BAFTA this week announced Dr Jo Twist OBE as the new Chair of its Games Committee

BAFTA today announced Dr Jo Twist OBE as the new Chair of its Games Committee. Twist, who is CEO of games industry trade body Ukie, follows Nick Button-Brown, Chair at Outright Games, who held the post for a two-year term.

Jo Twist is a long-standing member of the BAFTA Games Committee and has also served on the Learning & New Talent Committee. She has actively supported the BAFTA Breakthrough Brits and BAFTA Young Game Designers new talent initiatives, and sat on the organisation’s taskforce examining sexual harassment and bullying in the film, games and television industries.

Twist takes up her role during a period of expansion, as BAFTA grows its games membership in the UK and North America, and seeks to promote the craft of game creation, and the cultural importance of games, to a global audience.

Jo Twist said: “I’m delighted to be elected as the new Chair of the Games Committee and I thank all those who have put their faith in me. I would like to pay tribute to outgoing Chair, Nick Button-Brown, who has done an incredible job over the last two years along with the BAFTA staff: the plan to expand internationally, to continue to grow the body of games and interactive entertainment creators joining BAFTA’s mission, and the new Game Beyond Entertainment award category all signal a fantastic future for our interactive arts as part of BAFTA.

“I believe we are at a critical inflection point, and our future growth and innovation depends on creative collaboration with true diversity and opportunity for all. I have valued being part of an organisation that truly champions diverse talent, and I’m looking forward to collaborating with some new friends across film and television who, I know, share a passion for our creative talent.”