Las Vegas – September 21, 2026 -- IGT will install Jamie Knight as Chief Studios Officer on Jan. 1, 2027, succeeding Jean Venneman, who retires Dec. 31, 2026, after more than three decades in the gaming industry.
Venneman rebuilt IGT's global studio operations into a 1,200-employee organization
Venneman began her career at IGT in the early 1990s, held senior roles across product development, licensing, technology and operations, and rejoined the company in 2024 to rebuild its global studio function from the ground up. Under her leadership, IGT assembled a studio team exceeding 1,200 employees and standardized best practices across studio cultures, work the company says now positions IGT and Everi for accelerated growth.
Knight brings two decades of creative and studio leadership experience to the role
Knight has worked across the industry's largest suppliers and started her career as a creative, giving her direct experience translating original concepts into commercial gaming content. As Chief Studios Officer, she will set priorities for studio teams, drive innovation in game mechanics and mathematical modeling, and oversee content strategy across IGT and Everi's combined studio organization.
CEO Hector Fernandez credits Venneman with raising creative and operational standards
"Jean's leadership created the foundation for this next phase of growth," said Hector Fernandez, IGT CEO. "Jamie's combination of creative instinct, studio leadership and focus on innovation in design and math will build on that momentum and unlock new possibilities across our combined studio organization."
Knight said she intends to work with teams across IGT and Everi to advance game design, content strategy and math innovation for casino floors globally.