Mike Bithell hires COO

Prominent independent developer Mike Bithell has hired a chief operating officer to help run his company, Bithell Games.

Announcing the hire via his blog, the developer named Alexander Sliwinski as his new COO. Sliwinski will help run the business side of Bithell Games, enabling Bithell himself to focus on development.

Sliwinski was previously news content director at Joystiq, and has already been working with Bithell for six months.

“It’s time to start some new things,” writes Bithell. “It felt like we should formalise stuff and make him a proper full time part of the company.

“The problem with making video games and running a business is that the second job is boring, and the first job is very distracting. I’m also not great at the business side. 

“And boy do I suck at operations.”

Bithell adds that in addition to hiring Sliwinski, he is planning to establish an office and raise awareness of his work via podcasts and other media before his next game announcement.