Her experience of working as project manager, production manager and in human resources for some of the largest video game companies in Canada and the United States, including Microsoft and Ubisoft, will be a key factor in the structuring and development of the Montreal studio. Backed by strong business development skills and with a multi-cultural approach, she will lead and support this new team in keeping with DONTNOD's values.
DONTNOD Chairman and CEO Oskar Guilbert said: “We are delighted to welcome Frédérique, whose diverse skill set will be vital to the growth of our new subsidiary. With more than 20 years' experience in the sector, Frédérique has extensive knowledge of the video game industry, production roles and procedures, which will play a key role in supporting the development of the company as a whole. We share the same vision and conviction that DONTNOD has strong development potential.”
Frédérique Fourny-Jennings, Managing Director, said: “It's a great privilege for me to join DONTNOD in this key role, at the start of the studio's journey in Montreal. Games such as Life is Strange and Tell Me Why immediately struck a chord with me, and not just because of my profile as a gamer; these adventures address societal issues that affect our personal and professional lives. The values of courage, diversity and inclusion that these projects encompass are very dear to me. I look forward to contributing to the growth of DONTNOD Montreal, which will embody the culture and values of the studio and seek to enhance them via a new team and a new project.”
A naturalized Canadian citizen and a Quebecker at heart, Frédérique Fourny-Jennings was born in France, grew up in West Africa and has lived in North America for over 20 years.
Frédérique began her career in the video game industry in 1998 at Ubisoft Montreal, where she held various positions in project management and production, before being appointed head of localization1 for the group's operations in the Americas.
It was while managing the Ubisoft Montreal localization department and the audio and motion capture studios that she founded the ALICE studio in 2011, designed as a one stop shop for video game production narrative development.
After a 6-month spell in the United States during which she worked as a producer for Microsoft Game Studios on franchises including Minecraft and Forza, she took the opportunity to return to Montreal where, until recently, she has been Talent Acquisition & Attraction Strategy Manager for Ludia, a leading Canadian mobile video game producer.