Shainiel Deo is one of the driving forces behind the new wave of so-called casual games: titles featuring relatively simple graphics and straightforward game play, which can be played a minute or two at a time on a mobile device or social website.

The 36-year-old CEO has built Australia's Halfbrick Studios into one of the top casual-game publishers on the strength of Fruit Ninja, an addictive game in which players slice through a barrage of produce by swiping a finger across a touch screen, developing their skill as the fruit flies faster and thicker. Since the 99-cent game was released in April 2010, more than 10 million people have downloaded it.