Ubisoft has removed the managing director of Skull & Bones studio, Ubisoft Singapore, following a leadership audit conducted by an external partner.
Kotaku got hold of an internal email in which chief studios operating officer, Virginie Haas, announced that Hugues Ricour will no longer be serving as Singapore studio’s managing director “effective immediately.” “The results of the leadership audit that was conducted in the last few weeks by our external partners makes it impossible for him to continue in this position,” she wrote.
In a separate statement to Kotaku, a Ubisoft spokesperson confirmed that Ricour is stepping down from the role as well as leaving the Singapore studio entirely. However, he will remain employed at Ubisoft. The latter part of this statement is interesting because Ricour was one of the executives accused of misconduct and harassment by a number of people. Ubisoft didn’t explain why he was being removed from his position as well as from Singapore studio.
Back in August, Gamasutra published a lengthy investigation into ongoing accusations within Ubisoft. The publication claimed that HR was aware of allegations against Ricour but did not act upon them. Gamasutra wrote:
Ubisoft Singapore managing director Hugues Ricour was accused by multiple sources of sexual harassment. According to them, Ricour would regularly target women, making suggestive and inappropriate comments about their clothing during office hours, or encouraging them to kiss him at work events. I’m told those involved in these incidents were visibly uncomfortable, but that Ricour’s unprofessional and harmful behavior persisted nonetheless. Those who questioned his actions claimed Ricour retaliated by using his influence to make their work life miserable.
Meanwhile, Ubisoft Singapore’s Skull & Bones reportedly remains in development hell.
[Source: Kotaku]
