Hales will lead SouthPeak"s European operations as director of European markets.

"I have followed [SouthPeak"s] growth with interest and see this as a chance to really make a difference in the next stage of their development," he said in a statement on Thursday.

Based in Virginia, SouthPeak also has offices in Texas and England.

Hales was formerly Codemasters" VP and general manager for northern regions, and most recently helped establish Kalypso Media UK.

SouthPeak is the publisher behind games including Monster Madness: Battle for Suburbia, Iridium Runners and Two Worlds.