Ubisoft has tapped Charlie Guillemot as co-CEO of its new Tencent-backed subsidiary focused on core franchises including Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbox Six. And if that name sounds familiar, it's probably because he's the son of Yves Guillemot, founder and current CEO of Ubisoft proper.
Per Variety, Guillemot will lead the new Ubisoft subsidiary alongside co-CEO Christophe Derennes, a 35+ year veteran of the studio, founder of its Montreal branch, and most recently, Ubisoft North America managing director. The younger Guillemot previously looked over the Ubisoft-owned studio Owlient but joined Ubisoft's internal transformation team in 2025.
Naturally, Guillemot's last name is raising some eyebrows, but the new co-CEO insists it has nothing to do with his appointment.
"Yes, I'm Yves' son," he told Variety. "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."
As of March, nu-Ubisoft had an enterprise value of €4 billion (roughly $4.3 billion USD), giving Tencent around a 25% minority stake in the business with its €1.16bn ($1.25 billion USD) investment. The transaction is expected to close this year.
"What matters now isn't my name, it's the work ahead," Guillemot added. "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.
"And beyond that, this industry is where I want to be. There's nowhere quite like it, where creativity, talent, and technology intersect in such dynamic ways, and where you constantly have to adapt to new platforms, new ideas, new expectations from players. That's what draws me in."
Yves Guillemot said the goal of the new subsidiary is "to create the right conditions for teams to bring these brands to their full potential. That means more autonomy, greater agility, and a closer connection to what players want. To that end, Christophe and Charlie bring distinct complementary strengths that will be instrumental in making this new step in the history of Ubisoft a success."
Ubisoft had a very on-brand problem with Assassin's Creed Odyssey: there weren't many tall buildings in Ancient Greece even though it's a "climbing-frame game"
