EXCLUSIVE: Ubisoft exec Tommy Francois has left the video game giant after being accused of sexual harassment

Tommy Francois (R), Ubisoft

Tommy Francois, vice-president of editorial and creative services at video game giant Ubisoft, has left the company after facing allegations of sexual harassment.
Ubisoft had previously placed Francois on administrative leave, pending an investigation.
Ubisoft's CEO Yves Guillemot told staff of Francois' departure in an email sent July 31, seen by Business Insider. Ubisoft on Monday confirmed to Business Insider that Francois has left the company, effective immediately.
Francois was named in a Business Insider investigation into sexual misconduct and HR failures at Ubisoft, which is one of the biggest video game companies in the world. He is the latest in a series of senior employees to step down.
Francois did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Tommy Francois, a senior employee at video game giant Ubisoft, has left the company after current and former colleagues accused him of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior.

Francois is the latest in a series of senior employees to leave Ubisoft, which has been rocked over the last month by allegations of sexual misconduct, harassment, and assault.

He was vice-president of editorial and creative services, based in Ubisoft's Paris headquarters, and was the right-hand man of chief creative officer Serge Hascoet. Hascoet resigned in July. As one of only a handful of editorial VPs, Francois was among the most senior creative minds at Ubisoft, and helped steer the company's biggest franchises, which include Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, and Tom Clancy's The Division.

In a July 31 email seen by Business Insider, Ubisoft's CEO Yves Guillemot told editorial staff that Francois had left the company. Ubisoft on Monday confirmed Francois' departure in an email to Business Insider.

Francois was put on administrative leave in late June, pending an investigation. In Guillemot's July 31 email, the CEO told editorial staff that Francois had left the company with immediate effect, but did not say anything more about the departure.

Francois did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Francois was named in a Business Insider report on July 24 into harassment and misconduct at the company, in which he was accused of boasting about masturbating during a business trip and massaging colleagues without asking. He also regularly commented on female colleagues' appearance, current and former Ubisoft employees said.

Many of the stories told to Business Insider echoed those in an extensive report in French national newspaper Libération, published July 1. Francois did not respond to Business Insider's investigation at the time but did deny the earlier allegations made in Libération via his legal representative.

Other investigations are still ongoing, Guillemot added in the email.

Francois joins Hascoet, head of Ubisoft's Canadian studios Yannis Mallat, global head of HR Cécile Cornet, and VP editorial Maxime Beland as senior staff who have stepped down in recent months. Cornet remains at Ubisoft in a different role.