Asmodee co-founder Philippe Mouret and Catan Studio head Pete Fenlon have both stepped back from their high-level roles at the board game giant, with Julia Marcelin and Mike Bisogno stepping up as part of the leadership transition.

Mouret, who co-founded Asmodee more than 30 years ago, was also behind the creation of Splendor publisher Space Cowboys in 2014, and has overseen multiple publishing studios at the business over the years.

Julia Marcelin, who has been with Asmodee for almost seven years, becomes head of five studios as part of the shake-up, taking on responsibility for Days of Wonder, Space Cowboys, Repos Production, Libellud and Next Move.

Those studios are the home of some of Asmodee’s best-selling titles, including Ticket to Ride, Memoir 44, Splendor, 7 Wonders and Dixit.

Marcelin has spent the last year working with Mouret as deputy head of studio in preparation for the transition, Asmodee said, following previous responsibilities in operational strategy and international transformation at the business.

A statement from Asmodee said Mouret had “played a defining role in shaping the company’s creative direction”, as well as “contributed to the development and creation of some of the industry’s most celebrated titles”.

The company said Mouret would “remain closely involved” with its publishing team, working alongside chief product officer Jean-Sébastien De Barros and senior vice president for tabletop Benoit Clerc.

Asmodee also revealed that Pete Fenlon has stepped down as head of Catan Studio after ten years, with his LinkedIn page now updated to place him as “storyteller” and “mentor at large” at the company.

Mike Bisogno, who joined Asmodee three months ago after more than 17 years at Spin Master, takes on the role. He was most recently senior director of design and inventor relations at Spin Master, and also previously worked as a licensing lead at the company.

Catan is one of Asmodee’s most powerful titles, having successfully broken out from the hobby board gaming space and into wider pop culture since its 1995 release.

The game has sold more than 45 million copies and been translated into over 40 languages to date. Asmodee announced a 6th edition of the game last year to coincide with the title’s 30th anniversary.

A statement from Asmodee said, “Mike combines creative leadership with a strong track record of building successful partnerships. His arrival reflects Asmodee’s commitment to sustaining Catan’s legacy while exploring new opportunities for growth.”

It added, “Pete has left an enduring mark on the industry, with a career spanning several decades, including 20 years as CEO and chairman of Mayfair Games, and being a force behind the growth and global success of Catan.

“Since joining Asmodee in 2016 to lead Catan Studio, he led the brand through significant expansion and innovation.”

Jean-Sébastien De Barros, chief product officer and executive vice president for publishing at Asmodee, said, “Asmodee has always been built on the strength of its people. I see both Philippe and Pete as mentors for our new generation of Asmodee publishing team members.

“They have each played a pivotal role in shaping not only our portfolio but also the culture of Asmodee, one which resonates with so many players today.

“I’m glad to have shared part of my journey with them and we are confident in the next generation of leaders we’re bringing to these positions as they bring the right energy to continue building on this legacy.”

Asmodee has recently accelerated the reignited acquisitions strategy it announced at the end of 2024, with last month’s agreement to pay up to €250m for French social and party game publisher ATM Gaming its most striking deal to date.

The board game giant said buying ATM, the publisher of titles including Speed Bac/Quickstop, Mouton Mouton and Pili Pili, was predicated on social games being “the fastest growing category of the board games market”.

The ATM deal followed five other acquisitions from the past 12 months – including the buyout of Japon Brand from CMON, anchoring the board game giant’s push into a “currently untapped market” for the company.

Its other recent deals include picking up Zombicide, Cthulhu: Death May Die and Sheriff of Nottingham from CMON, which is attempting to recover from heavy losses over the past couple of years.

Asmodee posted record sales of €524m during the last quarter of 2025 despite a slump in its US performance, with trading card game earnings in Europe acting as a driving force for the business.

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