Sumo Digital's Bygrave - diversity drives innovation in games' toughest market
Summary
Catherine Bygrave, Business Development Director at Sumo Digital, was shortlisted for the Aurora Awards UK at Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026.
She argues that inclusive leadership is not a social issue alone - it is a competitive necessity during industry downturns.
Male allyship is identified as a key accelerator for meaningful progress in reducing workplace bias.
"True innovation can only come from a group with different perspectives and experiences"
01
Leadership philosophy - unlocking potential over enforcing conformity
Bygrave champions emotional intelligence (EQ) as her core leadership model.
Understanding individual motivations allows leaders to help people perform at their best.
"The point of a leader is to create an environment that unlocks potential and empowers individuals, not to try and create clones that do everything the way you do"
She views homogenous leadership as an active barrier to innovation, not a safe default.
02
Male allyship - a force multiplier for inclusion
Bygrave credits male allies as a significant driver of recent progress in the industry.
Male colleagues calling out microaggressions - being spoken over, ideas stolen, credit denied - reduces the burden on women to constantly pick their battles.
She frames allyship not as rescuing women, but as amplifying their voices at the decision-making level.
Subconscious bias remains pervasive and requires active self-awareness to prevent it from distorting decisions.
03
Industry downturn makes diversity more critical, not less
During periods of market pressure, companies tend to default to familiar patterns - Bygrave warns this is counterproductive.
Retreating to homogeneity in tough times directly undermines the innovation needed to navigate those challenges.
"Now, more than ever, we need to make sure women (and other underrepresented groups) have a seat at the table and are involved in senior decision-making"
She positions diverse senior representation as a strategic requirement for the industry to find its path through this transition.
04
Advice and outlook - collective support over individual competition
Bygrave's advice to women entering the industry: prioritize supporting each other over competing for limited space.
She rejects the "only room for one" mindset as both false and damaging to collective progress.
Her personal mission is to ensure the next generation of women in games faces fewer barriers than she did.
Looking ahead, she sees expanding senior influence as the primary lever for systemic change - the more senior women become, the more effectively they can reshape environments from within.
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