Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Heath Smith founded CiRCLE Studio in 2003. He also founded Core Design as a Software Developer in 1988. Jeremy's 25 years in the games industry span the whole spectrum of the business from development to commercial and publishing management. Jeremy transitioned Core into a Software Publisher in 1990 and in 1994 sold to CentreGold plc, being appointed to the board of this major UK publisher.

Core Design is best known for the creation of the icon Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider series of games. The first Tomb Raider title was released in 1996 and the series has sold over 30 million units to date. Jeremy served as Executive Producer on the two Paramount Hollywood Tomb Raider blockbuster movies starring Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft.

In 1996 CentreGold was acquired by Eidos plc. Jeremy was appointed to the main board as an Executive Director whilst remaining MD of Core. He was subsequently appointed Eidos Global Development Director in 2000; here he gained unique insight into international publishing and founded the Eidos Publishing Committee.

In January 2003 Jeremy’s contribution to the games industry and highly regarded international profile was recognized by the University of Derby through the award of an Honorary Doctorate of Business Administration.

Managing Director, Adrian Smith has 15 years experience in game software development and management. He was previously Operations Director for Core Design and responsible for the creative and technical aspects of the portfolio of all games produced by the company, including the ground-breaking Tomb Raider series. Within Eidos he served as a key member of the Publishing Committee that was responsible for evaluation, final selection and overall group product strategy.

Adrian’s role at CiRCLE involves him in all aspects of the company’s game development, direction and technology strategy He oversees the company’s teams of programmers, artists, animators and designers and also plays a key role within publisher and hardware manufacturer relationships.

Sales Director, Mark Stanger has substantial experience of the European Interactive Entertainment market, having been engaged in senior sales and marketing roles since joining Philips Media in 1989. In 1996 he formed part of the management team that floated Gremlin Interactive and went on to establish the UK-based publisher. From 1998 Mark was responsible for International Sales and Marketing at Eidos Plc where he managed commercial activity across almost 50 overseas markets. In March 2002 Mark was promoted to the role of Commercial Director for New Media at Eidos; in this role he completed several agreements for the publisher with companies such as Nokia, Vodafone, Sky Interactive and Wanadoo. Mark has practical knowledge of both the traditional Interactive Entertainment market, and the potential offered by the emerging technologies of mobile, broadband internet and interactive TV.

Producer, Andrew Thompson has 11 years’ experience in the games industry that encompasses all aspects of product creation, production and introduction to the market. After a successful 8 year career in print and graphic design, he joined Core Design in 1994 as in-house Production Manager. Upon Core’s acquisition by Eidos in 1996, Andrew moved into an Operational and Product Management role, where he applied his extensive project management, technical, localisation and outsourcing knowledge. He was invited to join CiRCLE’s management team at start-up in 2003.

PR & Marketing Manager, Susie Hamilton has over a decade of experience delivering global media campaigns and providing marketing support to the games software industry. Her career includes management of the Tomb Raider I - Tomb Raider V campaigns, events and satellite activity world-wide for Core Design and Eidos, which garnered unprecedented promotional exposure. Susie has extensively worked alongside internal product development teams and senior management/directors to effectively deliver PR campaigns, corporate information and marketing assets to national and international media, publishers and distribution partners alike. After a period of freelance marketing consultancy, she joined CiRCLE in 2004.