EA Executive Chairman and interim CEO Larry Probst announced yesterday that Andrew Wilson, executive vice president of EA Sports, is the company’s new CEO. “The rigorous search conducted by our Board included several talented executives from both outside the company and from within EA,” said Probst in a statement posted on EA’s blog. “Andrew’s appointment is a clear demonstration of the deep bench of management talent at EA, and reflects our fundamental belief that EA is on track to become the global leader in interactive games and services.”
The appointment comes as somewhat of a surprise, since the internal candidates analysts deemed likely choices were COO Peter Moore and EA Labels president Frank Gibeau. “It appears that Mr. Wilson’s charisma, history of accomplishments at EA Sports (highlighted by strong growth for FIFA), strong leadership skills and relative youth won out over the strong track records of his peers,” said analyst Michael Pachter in a note to investors. Pachter maintained his “outperform” rating on the company’s stock with a target of $30. So far today, the stock is down over 3 percent as investors absorb the news.
Probst will remain as Executive Chairman to aid Wilson in the transition, and he offered some thoughts on the hire. “Andrew is the first studio executive to serve as our CEO, a testament to his blend of creative skills and business acumen,” said Probst. “He is a compelling and charismatic communicator who cares deeply about organizational development, teams, and the individual careers of people who work for EA. Most of all, he has a powerful sense of respect for and commitment to our consumers.”
Wilson also posted a statement on EA’s blog providing some insight into his thinking. “I envision EA as the World’s Greatest Games Company This is not about what we are aiming for or what we will become. Rather, it is about an unfaltering commitment to what we will be every day. This is an attitude that must drive our culture as one team.”
Wilson pledged to follow the company’s current strategy, and in an interview with the Wall Street Journal stated that he will keep a close rein on expenses. “I also believe EA’s strategy is sound,” Wilson said in his blog post. “Our focus on our talent, our brands and our platform together with our investment in next-generation consoles, mobile and PC free-to-play, as part of our ongoing transition to digital, is right. But we have plenty of work ahead to ensure our collective success.”
Wilson continued, “In the short term, our mission is crystal clear: We are 100 percent focused on delivering our FY14 business plan. We have made strong progress in the first half of the fiscal year, establishing financial discipline and continuing to create a slate of fantastic games for current and next-generation consoles, mobile and PC. But now we’ve got to finish the job — execute in Q3 and Q4 and deliver on the promises we made to our fans and our shareholders.”
“Looking ahead, my focus will be on three things:
1. Continued transformation for our digital future;
2. Delivering amazing games and services across platforms; and
3. Instilling a culture of execution that will drive profitable growth.
In the days and weeks ahead, I will provide a greater level of operational detail behind the plan that will make these goals a reality.”
“I could not be more proud to lead you as CEO of EA. Thank you in advance for your support.”
The [a]list daily interviewed Wilson at E3 about his vision for products and services — read the exclusive interview to find out more about his approach to future of the gaming industry.