This week at Hutch we celebrated International Men's Day, which aims to raise awareness on both the mental health and social issues that impact men.

At Hutch we take the mental health and wellbeing of our employees incredibly seriously so we believe it’s important to reduce the stigma men face when it comes to opening up about their mental health.  

To mark the day we asked three members of the team to reflect on positive male role models and talk about how they’ve influenced both their lives and careers. 

Andy Watson - Chief Operating Officer

One person I admire is Will Arnett. While I’ve always enjoyed his sharp, witty humor and distinctive voice acting, what truly makes him stand out is his openness about his personal struggles with addiction. He’s been candid about the challenges he’s faced, and I admire the resilience he’s shown in overcoming them.

Despite being best known for playing characters with a bit of an edge—often nasty or comedic roles—his true demeanor is very different. Arnett’s real-life vulnerability and kindness set him apart. He also manages to cope with fame by staying humble, often recognizing how absurd it can be, which makes him seem genuine and authentic. 

Additionally, Arnett is a supportive member of the acting community, using his experiences to help others navigate their own challenges. His bravery, humility, and commitment to helping others serve as a powerful example of what it means to be both successful and human.

Jonny Alpine - Chief Creative Officer

I’m probably going a little left field with this but I’m picking Isaac Asimov and specifically the character, Golan Trevize, he created for the Foundation novels.

I first read this series in my early teens and have re-read them three or four times since then.

To quote from a synopsis...Golan is known for his intuitive approach to decision-making. Unlike the rigorous, logical methods of the psychohistory concept the novels revolve around, Trevize relies on a kind of gut feeling or intuition that seems almost supernaturally accurate.

Now I've certainly never cracked the ‘supernaturally accurate’ bit but I do feel like that character has subtly influenced my approach to life in a positive way (maybe it was down to reading the books in my formative years?). I've never been the most confident person but I think reading about him somehow gave me the confidence in all sorts of situations to take whatever information was available, make an intuitive call and then commit to it - basically believe in my gut.

Ian Griffiths - Game Director

At Hutch I get to come and work with some of the best men I've ever known. From my long-time best friend, the absolute king of empathy Andy Watson, to the effortlessly stoic James Levick, to the creative Hamish Frater. And I can't forget the man who helped kick this all off in the first place, the incontestable, Shaun Rutland!

I see so many people being role models in different areas. I see skill and dedication, kindness and teamwork. I see a lot of you are now dads, an awesome and rewarding responsibility. I also see how many of us have struggled with mental health from time to time, or had to grieve when we've lost loved ones. And I've seen how our teammates step in to help out and it's inspiring.

There's a lot of struggle in the world right now, from war to political strife to economic woes. Men tend not to talk things through, opting for other forms of mental health care like video games, board games, sport, going to the pub, whatever it is. So this one is for all of you, go do something you enjoy this week!