This profile forms part of a series of interviews supported by our Official Partners Barclays, Escape Technology and Red Kite Games.
Kimberley Turner won Best Company Boss in the Game Republic 20th Anniversary Awards and has been Double Eleven’s Finance & Commercial Director for over 13 years. There were only a couple of people in the company back then. Now there are almost 400. Kimberley manages all the financial and commercial operations of the business on a day-to-day basis and ensures its financial health and stability in the longer term. She works across everything related to taxation, accounting and financial planning, analysis and reporting, ensuring this is all done in compliance with regulations as well as directing all legal and contractual negotiations. In-between the work she has in this growing company, Kimberley collaborates with other companies and with local educators to bring more opportunities for talent and economic growth to the North East. Kimberley has helped the Double Eleven to secure major industry awards and last year she won Business Woman of the Year Award 2022 as part of the Tees Business Women Awards.
Name, role and kinds of work you do?
I’m Kimberley Turner. I have been Double Eleven’s Finance & Commercial Director for around 13 years now. There were only a couple of people in the company back then. Can you believe it? We’re almost 400 now! I manage all the financial and commercial operations of the business on a day-to-day basis and ensure its financial health and stability in the longer term. I am across everything related to taxation, accounting and financial planning, analysis and reporting, ensuring this is all done in compliance with regulations as well as directing all legal and contractual negotiations.
What is great about working in the games industry?
The passion that people in the game industry have is just incredible. They chose to embrace a career in games to offer other players great experiences and they’re always looking at ways to grow and innovate, learning new things in and out of work. It’s a fast-paced environment, and supporting technologies and trends evolve fast. It’s never boring! The variety of roles and profiles in the industry is also stimulating. People have come from everywhere to work at Double Eleven on the games they love. We have over 30 different nationalities represented in our studios in the UK and Malaysia. Some of our colleagues have come from very different industries. They bring an interesting perspective and knowledge to the table.
What words of advice do you have for people starting out in the games sector?
If you want to work in games, you don’t need a specific diploma but it’s important you find a way to show your passion and skills. Having a portfolio of your creations (even if only personal projects) is a great way to do just that. Taking part in a game jam is a big plus if that’s relevant to your desired role. Also don’t forget to show that you’re keeping up with the latest tools, trends, etc. This is a competitive industry and this will give you an edge.
The last key thing to do is for you to build a network. Join relevant online communities, attend in-person and online industry events when you can. Several of them are dedicated to career advice and opportunities. Finding a mentor could also be a great boost to your career.
What work have you been doing in the region to support the games industry, what’s the impact you are having?
We regularly send our employees to talk in local schools and universities to inspire tomorrow’s great talents. We have also collaborated with local companies like SockMonkey Studios and Radical Forge on some console ports. They assisted us as they were growing their own businesses. We’re a member of Ukie and Game Republic and next year we want to join forces with them to create more opportunities to bring regional entertainment professionals together and share knowledge.
What has been a highlight of your career / work so far for the industry?
Honestly it’s been incredible to support the growth of the company over the past 13 years. I’ve seen many of our team grow in their roles while I was growing in mine.
A stand out moment for me personally, which was just over 4 years ago, was signing our name on a contract for the world-renowned IP that is Minecraft. Sometimes I still have to pinch myself, we actually did that, and we’ve moved onwards and upwards IP wise ever since.
What influence do you think your company / you and similar types of organisation / people are having on the sector / region?
We want to show other studios that it is possible to find success outside of the usual gaming hubs in the country. And also inspire them to look at ways to avoid crunch so we don’t lose more precious talents to other industries. I hope we help shed some light on the talents in the region and make them feel like they don’t have to move somewhere else to find a fulfilling role in the industry.
What do you think of the role of Game Republic?
I think Game Republic is bringing local developers and students together and encourages sharing knowledge. It supports studios in the North East by helping to promote them and giving them a voice when it comes to policies and initiatives that can benefit their growth (like funding and tax incentives). I’m sure the events created by the organisation have led to interesting business opportunities for companies in the region.
Why is the region a good place to do business?
Where we’re located, IT infrastructure is good, renting space is cheaper than in the South and we’re just next door to the great Teesside University, which has over 20,000 students and one of the longest running game development courses in the world. Rail and other transport links mean we can be in London in 3 hours. We’ve conveniently worked with some neighbouring companies when we didn’t have internal capacity to handle certain things, like building our website, filming internal events, etc.
What projects / events and initiatives are coming up / have just completed that will have a positive impact on the industry/region/your company…
Our partnership with Rockstar Games on Switch and Playstation 4 versions of Red Dead Redemption definitely gave us a lot of exposure and reinforced our great reputation as co-developer. Paradox Interactive has just announced our latest collaboration, Prison Architect 2, supported by a behind-the-scenes video featuring images of our UK studio and Middlesbrough. These types of announcements definitely help draw attention to our company and the region. And some of our great titles are yet to be revealed! 2024 marks Double Eleven’s 15th anniversary and there will definitely be some opportunities to celebrate together, with our employees, partners, players and other industry professionals.
