Jade Raymond of Ubisoft hopes to inspire women to join the industry

Jade Raymond holds an important position within the games industry. She's the managing director of Ubisoft Toronto, which she hopes to build into the company's finest studio. She also heading the next Splinter Cell and contributed as executive producer on the Assassin's Creed series. Her strong presence has paved the way for future women, but it hasn't come without personal sacrifice.

Raymond endured criticism from people who refused to believe a woman could assume a leading role in the industry, rather than work as a mere PR stand-in. In an interview with Edge, Raymond said she regretted stepping out of the spotlight after the controversy occurred.

“I think it’s important to continue to be out there, because I have had a lot of young women reach out to me and say it’s important to them in terms of them feeling comfortable getting a position in the industry," she said. "I’m also the older sister of three girls, so I’ve always had that role of being big sister, helping them with financial advice and getting their careers on track and kind of encouraging them to do that stuff. I like having that mentor role with other women.”

Despite being pregnant with her second child, Raymond, 36, maintains a highly active role at Ubisoft Toronto. While leading the creative team on Assassin's Creed II, she also oversaw six other projects. She described the complicated nature of balancing work and a family life, leaving the office by 6 PM so she can enjoy at least two hours with her daughter before putting her to bed and resuming work well into the night.

“I feel as if I’m not doing as much as I’d like to for the studio, or for my daughter, and then, of course, there’s being a wife on the side, too," she said. "That’s something I’m definitely not keeping up with. I have to be ruthless with my time. I don’t do a lot of superfluous things, I don’t really hang out and chill.”

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