Yet another Ubisoft executive has left the company after several employees accused him of sexual harassment and misconduct.
Tommy François, who served as Ubisoft’s vice president of editorial and creative services, left the company last week, Business Insider confirmed, after obtaining an internal email from Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. Although Guillemot didn’t comment on the reasons for François’ departure, it came just a week after Business Insider recounted reports from both current and former Ubisoft employees, who said the executive would comment on female colleagues’ appearances and inappropriately massaged co-workers. He also discussed masturbating during a 2016 business trip to Montreal, the employees told Business Insider.
François oversaw the creative direction for a variety of studio franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Watch Dogs, and Far Cry. It’s unclear who has taken over the critical position François held, and the company did not immediately respond to a Digital Trends request for comment on his departure and ultimate replacement.
François is just the latest in a string of Ubisoft executives to leave the company following claims of widespread sexual harassment and abuse at the studio. Last month, Ubisoft chief creative officer Serge Hascoet resigned following sexual harassment allegations, along with Ubisoft Canadian studios chief Yannis Mallat, human resources head Cécile Cornet, and others. François worked closely with Hascoet, who reportedly had the final say on whether games would move forward or not.
Guillemot said after reports surfaced last month that the company was “really sorry” to those who came forward and shared their stories. He promised to “change Ubisoft for the better” and said the studio had hired global consulting firm Accenture to launch an investigation into how widespread the issues are. The results from that investigation are due in late September.
In other statements, Guillemot has also promised to overhaul the creative division Hascoet and François oversaw and acknowledged that the company had “fallen short in its obligation to guarantee a safe and inclusive workplace environment for its employees.”
Looking ahead, Ubisoft plans to build “an environment that its employees, partners, and communities can be proud of — one that reflects Ubisoft’s values and that is safe for everyone,” Guillemot said.
