Laura Naviaux Sturr

Laura Naviaux Sturr is a seasoned interactive entertainment C-level executive with more than 25 years in building original IP, creating entertainment franchises, operating games as a service, and general management of small startups to enterprise-scale organizations. Today, Laura is part of the leadership team at Amazon Games, where she has been highly instrumental in developing the organization into a world-class global publisher. As GM, she oversees all operations, corporate P&L management, long-range planning, central technology, generative AI infrastructure, and product management. 

Prior to Amazon, she served as Chief Publishing Officer at Daybreak Games where she steered growth initiatives for an array of online worlds, namely defining the underpinnings of the chart-topping battle royale genre with her oversight of H1Z1. She also spent 12 notable years with Sony Online Entertainment in senior global sales and marketing roles, propelling the company to the forefront of industry innovation. Her early career was spent in brand management at THQ and Sony Computer Entertainment, launching some of the world’s most renowned games based on beloved IPs.

Learning from the Past to Shape the Future of Games 

The games industry thrives on evolution. From the transformative power of new advanced technologies like AI to the rise of transmedia as a new frontier for IP growth, the possibilities are endless. But will these advancements deliver the profound impact they promise? The industry is known for being at the forefront of innovation and strategy - the early adopters - but does it always translate to success, and what can we learn from past missteps to navigate the future? 

In this talk, Laura Naviaux Sturr, Amazon Games’ GM of Operations, will share some of the most critical, learn-from moments she’s experienced during her more than 25-year tenure in the industry. This session will provide a candid look at what went wrong, what was fixed (or not), and how those learnings have shaped her approach to long-term success in games. Whether you’re navigating today’s trends or planning for what’s next for your company, this session offers a valuable lens for working toward a more resilient games business.