Six ironSource co-founders step down in Unity

In a significant restructuring move, recent SEC filings have unveiled the departure of six ironSource co-founders from their executive roles within Unity. Tomer Bar-Zeev, the co-founder turned Unity Grow president, has stepped down but will remain in a non-executive capacity to facilitate a smooth transition for the next six months. This reshuffle comes 14 months after the completion of the merger between Unity and ironSource in November 2022, aimed at integrating more developer tools into Unity’s platform.

Bar-Zeev’s fellow co-founders, Eyal Milrad, Omer Kaplan, Tamir Carmi, Arnon Harish, and Assaf Ben-Ami, have also resigned from their executive positions as part of a mutual agreement with Unity. Despite the recent challenges faced by Unity, including a backlash over developer charges, this major shakeup indicates the company’s commitment to a fresh start under the leadership of new CEO Jim Whitehurst.

The departure of the ironSource co-founders follows the recent layoffs of 1,800 staff members at Unity, signaling a broader effort to streamline operations. In an internal email obtained by mobilegamer.biz, Whitehurst emphasized the need to “reduce management layers and improve coordination in the organization.” 

“I know this has been a particularly difficult week and a lot to take in,” Whitehurst said. “While changes like these are challenging to move through, I believe this reset is essential for us to do now and it’s setting us up to succeed for many years to come. I will continue to keep you updated.”

The vacant executive roles left by the ironSource co-founders have been filled by Marc Whitten, Felix Thé, Nadav Ashkenazy, and Giancarlo Fasolo, reflecting Unity’s commitment to reshaping its leadership structure for sustained success in the future.