Nintendo hires BSkyB chief for top Euro role

Nintendo has appointed BSkyB marketing and distribution director David Gosen as its new managing director for sales and marketing in Europe.

Gosen takes up the position with the video games giant in September and will report to European president Shigeru Ota.

He will be based in Nintendo’s European head office in Grossostheim, near Frankfurt.

Gosen replaces Hans Stahler, who is retiring. Stahler has held the role since Nintendo established its European office in 1990.

Ota says: “Gosen will be performing a key role, planning for the launch of our new Dolphin console in Europe in late 2000. His arrival will further strengthen our new European management team.”

Prior to his role at BSkyB, Gosen worked as a marketer for One2One and Pizza Hut International.

Since 1995, the UK market for computer games and consoles has increased from &£507m to just under &£1bn last year, according to Mintel.

Sony PlayStation holds the lion’s share of the market and has sold about 5 million consoles since its launch in 1995.

Nintendo is launching Dolphin, a new console aimed at older, more affluent customers.