Warsaw Sports Marketing Center alumni don't just find careers in the sports industry, and Tabitha Hayes, MBA '00, is a prime example of that. Though she's worked for Electronic Arts (better known as EA) since 2008, she previously held positions with Activision and Sierra Entertainment. She now works as vice president of global brand management in Stockholm, Sweden.
Describe your current position and role.
I am currently the vice president of global brand management for Europe at Electronic Arts. I'm based in Stockholm, Sweden, and lead the global brand management teams responsible for supporting our games developed in Europe, including Battlefield and Need for Speed. Global brand management at EA includes building and leading the long-range brand and ecosystem strategy for our franchises. We partner closely with our development teams to decide which games and experiences we make for players and how we position those games and experiences across target audiences, devices, platforms, and regions. Global brand management also includes our live services strategy and engagement teams who are shaping the player experience post-launch and driving our engagement strategies, programs, and capabilities.
How has your Warsaw Center experience shaped your professional career?
The Warsaw Center experience profoundly shaped my career. It provided me with amazing mentors and colleagues, developed my skills, and widened the aperture on many aspects of my life and business. The time I was able to spend with Jim Warsaw still resonates through me and, among many things, reminds me to have fun. Former Warsaw Center director Rick Burton's “who are you and why should we care?" question translated into my own personal impact statement and my approach to purpose-driven leadership. Even after graduating, I continue to work with so many of my Warsaw colleagues who have been amazing partners that challenge and support me. It's an experience for which I am forever grateful.
What key business trends are you following right now?
There are a couple of business trends that I'm thinking about right now. The first is Gen Z. I have spent a lot of time understanding Millennials as players and as employees over the past 10 years. Now the focus is on our Gen Z players and how we think about building amazing games and experiences for them.
The second is diversity and inclusion. As a diversity and inclusion leader at EA, I partner with leaders and employees globally to create a more diverse and inclusive organization in order to better serve the diverse needs of our players, foster innovation, and enable every employee to maximize their contribution and reach their full potential.
What is your favorite social media platform for personal use and what social media platform is best for your business purposes?
I go through phases and at the moment I am using Facebook for everything. Thankfully, I have a great community on Facebook who actively post about politics, business trends, yoga and mindfulness, food, and travel, so I feel like I'm covered.
What do you miss most about Eugene?
Having so many of my favorite humans together in one small town.