The vice-president in charge of Ubisoft’s editorial service, Tommy François, quoted in several testimonies published in recent weeks in the press as repeatedly responsible for inappropriate behavior and comments towards company employees, left the company. The information was sent to employees in an internal email dated July 31 that was able to consult the digital news site Numerama – information confirmed by Agence France-Presse with Ubisoft.
The author of the email, the CEO of the Yves Guillemot group, assures us that Mr. François has “Left the group with immediate effect”. The latter had been placed on a conservatory layoff at the beginning of the month, “Pending the conclusions of the investigation concerning him” after the accusations made against him, as explained by Mr. Guillemot in a first internal email dated July 2. The latest information provided by Mr. Guillemot does not, to our knowledge, give the results of the investigation in question.
“Toxic behavior”
Former host of the specialty channel Game One, Tommy François joined Ubisoft in 2006 and was vice-president of the editorial department for a little over five years. He was quoted in July in the series of articles published by Release, Numerama and AFP, among other Ubisoft executives accused of harassment or sexual assault.
In mid-July, it was Serge Hascoët, considered the number two of the group, who had already left his post as head of creation. The head of the Montreal studio as well as the group’s human resources director have also left Ubisoft.
“Ubisoft has not been able to guarantee its employees a safe and inclusive work environment, regretted Mr. Guillemot, quoted in the press release announcing their departure. It’s not acceptable. All toxic behavior is in total opposition to the values with which I have never compromised and with which I will not compromise. “
The company, which has 18,000 employees worldwide, 22% of whom are women, has launched several internal investigations since the first revelations and has begun restructuring its human resources department, accused of having covered up certain toxic behaviors.
The company did not return to these cases during his long-awaited conference on July 12, during which information about its upcoming games was revealed. But Yves Guillemot assured on July 22, during the presentation of its staggered quarterly results, that the group had to “Nonetheless take up a very serious challenge in the wake of recent allegations and accusations of misconduct and inappropriate behavior.” I am determined to implement profound changes in order to improve and strengthen our corporate culture ”.
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