Rush Digital founder takes tech role as Pavan Vyas named CEO

Rush Digital, the Auckland-based mobile game development studio that's backed by Jonathan Reid and Doug Drury's VMG Ventures, has appointed Pavan Vyas as it's new managing director and chief executive.

Founder and former chief executive Danushka Abeysuriya is to become chief technical officer.

Rush was founded in 2010 and creates both games for mobile phones and game-like products and experiences for brands including Microsoft, the BBC, Google, and Samsung.

It now employs more than 50 people and has opened an office in New York. Revenue is forecast to be in the high millions for its current financial year.

Vyas told BusinessDesk that "A key part of my appointment is to make sure we still keep growing the services business, to try to grow annuity revenue and to try to bring products to market in the spaces that we really excel in."

Founder Danushka Abeysuriya would remain an integral part of the team, Vyas added, "Without him, we lose our number one tech evangelist. My role is to free up a lot of his time and really concentrate on the commercial side of the business. He's one of those rare tech focused people who really can speak and excel at the business side, but as far as the company's concerned his technical skills are more valuable."

Vyas joins Rush Digital from Sky TV New Zealand, where he was previously Head of Ventures.

Companies Office data shows Abeysuriya remains the largest shareholder, retaining a touch over 44 percent of the company's shares. VMG Ventures, which is run by Jonathan Reid and Doug Drury, and was started with seed capital from Warehouse founder Stephen Tindall, owns a third of Rush. Angel investor Ray Thomson is also a backer.

(BusinessDesk)

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