Former Sony Computer Entertainment and Atari exec Phil Harrison is now on board with a new business --
a venture capital firm formed by his ex-Atari colleague David Gardner, according to UK-based
Develop Online.
Harrison joins Gardner's London Venture Partners as a fourth member. Former EA VP and current non-executive chairman of Unity Technologies David Lau-Kee is also part of the VC firm, along with investment banker Paul Heydon of Avista Partners, the report said. Gamasutra independently confirmed this information via London Venture Partner's LinkedIn listing.
Harrison was president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, and an integral figure in the PlayStation brand until he left the company in 2008. In March that year, Harrison joined Atari as president to lead a turnaround at the struggling company under the direction of then-Atari CEO Gardner. Both left their positions at Atari in 2009.
Gardner is also well-known in the industry for establishing the European branch of Electronic Arts in 1987 after joining the publisher in 1983. He stayed with EA until 2007.
The VC firm will reportedly look to funding start-ups involved in creating " disruptive new technology in the online, social, mobile and web game space" in the UK and Europe. London Venture Partners has £30 million ($43 million) to spend on investments, Develop said.
