Digital Chocolate adds credit lines, hires Finnish VPs and expands studios to grow in 2012

After time spent building up its Facebook business, Digital Chocolate is now returning to focus on its mobile activities, hiring two executives and promoting others.

Kaj 'HeGe' Haggman arrives from Nokia, becoming general manager at Digital Chocolate's Helsinki studio.

Emmi Kuusikko leaves Habbo Hotel developer Sulake, becoming the studio's VP of product management.

These appointments come at the same time as several internal promotions, as Marko Lastikka becomes VP of production and Miikka Kukkosuo becomes VP of regional sales.

"It's rewarding that we can attract and retain great people and are getting continued support from the financial community," said Digital Chocolate's CEO Trip Hawkins.

"We are now well-positioned to leverage industry trends and growth."

It's not just Finland where change is happening, though, with three moves occurring in its San Mateo, HQ, where the company coordinates cross-platform tools, engineering and social game best practices.

Edmund Chui became VP of platform engineering, Jerome Collin became VP of product management and Sean Dornan-Fish became VP of game design.

The latter two bring experience from EA and Zynga before having joined Digital Chocolate.

And following the company's acquisition of Sandlot Games, its expanding its studio location in St. Petersburg, Russia and in Seattle, Washington.

Led by VP Daniel Bernstein, the founder of Sandlot, the new studios have upcoming game launches for new genres and platforms.

In support of its growth plan, Digital Chocolate completed a $12 million equity capital financing in February 2011, and has recently added two financial credit lines.

[source: Digital Chocolate]