Recife, October 21, 2025
Kokku, Latin America’s largest co-development game studio and part of the international holding OV Entertainment, announces strategic changes to its executive leadership. Carol Lara has been appointed Chief Operating Officer (COO), and João Marcelo Moraes will lead the financial area as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
The new appointments reflect Kokku’s ongoing commitment to combining efficiency with purpose, aligning high-performance results with a culture that values people, diversity, and continuous learning.
Representation at the heart of operations
After a year and a half leading the Production department, Carol Lara steps into the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO), overseeing all of Kokku’s operational departments: Production, Engineering, Art & Creative, Operations, and QA.
Her appointment marks an important milestone in the company’s history: Carol is the first woman to join Kokku’s executive team (C-Level), symbolizing progress in representation and the strengthening of an inclusive leadership culture within the studio.
“It makes me look back with gratitude and forward with responsibility. I think a lot about the women building their careers in this industry who sometimes still wonder if there’s room for them. What I hope is that my presence here can be one more proof that the answer is yes, and that this space must be claimed with competence, courage, and purpose,” Carol highlights.
Since joining Kokku, Carol has driven a deep transformation in the Production department, introducing unified management methodologies, monitoring tools, and practices that have elevated the efficiency and scalability of operations. Under her leadership, the company gained greater visibility into projects and strategic indicators, improving decision-making and driving results across all areas.
Thiago de Freitas, CEO of Kokku, highlights a shift in the company’s leadership approach:
“We implemented several changes that allowed Kokku to once again reach a record-breaking revenue milestone. This was only possible because we turned our attention inward, recognizing and valuing the talent already within our team,” he emphasizes. “Carol is a perfect example of that. In just over 18 months, she stood out as Head of Production, leading initiatives that optimized our processes and increased profitability. Her promotion reinforces our belief that the solution to the scarcity of strong leaders can often be found within our own teams. It’s our responsibility to create policies that reveal that potential. Carol has become essential to Kokku, a natural leader, respected and celebrated by all of us.”
In her new role, Carol will focus on integrating and optimizing Kokku’s global operations, strengthening cross-departmental synergy, improving production processes, and expanding the studio’s capacity to deliver international projects.
“The main focus in this new phase is to make the changes needed to give our teams the foundation they need to ensure our operation continues to grow in a structured, efficient, and sustainable way, while maintaining the quality and consistency that have always been part of our identity,” explains Carol. “That means putting the right people in the right places, strengthening our internal processes, increasing visibility and predictability, and deepening our use of new technologies that can make our structure more competitive.”
Alongside her role leading Kokku’s operations, Carol Lara also takes on the position of Vice President of Delivery Operations at OV Entertainment, where she will coordinate integration across studios - Kokku in Brazil, The Original Gangsters in Argentina, and a new European acquisition yet to be announced - focusing on the strategic and operational alignment of the group’s companies.
Strengthening financial management marks a new chapter
João Marcelo Moraes joins Kokku as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), bringing solid experience in financial leadership and a strong focus on governance and scalability. His arrival reinforces the company’s executive structure amid a period of international expansion and consolidation under OV Entertainment.
Gerson Lima, who previously held the position, will now dedicate himself exclusively to financial operations as CFO of the OV holding.
“This clearer distinction between the companies reinforces our commitment to continuously raising the standards of corporate governance and compliance across the group,” explains Kokku CEO, Thiago de Freitas.
With more than two decades in executive leadership roles, João has led financial restructuring processes and implemented management models that increased efficiency and transparency in large organizations. At Kokku, he will focus on strengthening financial governance, supporting sustainable growth, and aligning financial operations with the group’s global strategy, where he will also serve as Vice President of Finance at OV Entertainment.
“João brings decades of experience leading renowned companies, with a history full of achievements and impactful results. It will be a pleasure to share the day-to-day with him and plan, together, the next years of growth and expansion, not only for Kokku but for every company within OV’s ecosystem,” concludes the CEO.
An executive structure designed for integration and growth
The appointments of Carol Lara and João Marcelo Moraes strengthen Kokku’s executive structure and align the company with OV Entertainment’s broader goals of global expansion and consolidation.
With a more integrated, diverse, and strategic leadership team, Kokku continues to enhance its internal processes, governance, and ability to deliver consistent, high-impact results for partners across the global gaming industry.