Earlier this year, Ubisoft announced that it was spinning off a new subsidiary. The announcement confirmed that the new subsidiary was backed by Tencent and would oversee the French publisher’s three biggest IPs: Far Cry, Assassin’s Creed, and Rainbow Six. It is also expected to act independently of the parent company.

Ubisoft subsidiary co-CEOs Charlie Guillemot and Christophe Derennes
In the latest twist, Ubisoft has now named Charlie Guillemot—who is the son of the company’s CEO Yves Guillemot—as the co-CEO of the new subsidiary. Charlie previously headed Owlient, a mobile studio owned by the French publisher. He left and co-founded Unagi, a Web3 indie firm, before rejoining Ubisoft.
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Charlie will be joined by Ubisoft veteran Christophe Derennes as co-CEO. Detennes was the head of Ubisoft’s Montreal studio and managing director for North America. Ubisoft said the main responsibility of the co-CEOs will be to “define the strategy and vision” for its brands, as well as “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,” the publisher said.
In an interview with Variety, the new leadership was asked to address the concerns about nepotism as regards to Charlie’s appointment as co-CEO.
“I’d like to address this question directly, if I may,” Charlie said. “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.”
“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 new subsidiary, with the French publisher having a controlling stake. Do you think the naming of Charlie as co-CEO is a consolidation of the family’s grip on the company? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.