Activision-Blizzard: CEO Bobby Kotick soon excluded? Shareholders do everything to

Game news Activision-Blizzard: CEO Bobby Kotick soon excluded? Shareholders do everything to

Published on 11/18/2021 8:11 AM

The Activision-Blizzard affair continues unabated: Today we just learned that a group of shareholders wanted Bobby Kotick’s exit … and not only.

Nothing has worked for the publisher since a complaint was filed against Activision-Blizzard for harassment and culture poisoning: From resignation to resignation, the various studios try to correct their mistakes by removing certain elements that are now considered inappropriate, even if this means a backlog on large projects. The fire lit even more when the world learned through the Wall Street Journal yesterday that CEO Bobby Kotick was aware of certain actions, and worse, that he even did so to cover up certain facts.

Bobby Kotick in the crosshairs

While Jim Ryan, who heads Sony Interactive Entertainment, just cracked a press release yesterday to express concern about the situation, other people are particularly upset and let it know. we just learned that the SOC (“Strategic Organizing Center”), a group of shareholders who have invested in Activision-Blizzard, urged the board to resign from Bobby Kotick. Four other groups have also done this.

Contrary to previous company statements, CEO Bobby Kotick was aware of numerous incidents of sexual harassment, assault and gender discrimination at Activision-Blizzard. It has not ensured that responsible executives and managers are dismissed, nor has it recognized and addressed the systematics of the hostile work culture in the company.

For these stated and official reasons The SOC clearly wants the famous CEO, who had already opted for a drastic pay cut, to leave the American ship. And also two other people are in the sights.

A real change in anticipation?

Activision-Blizzard: CEO Bobby Kotick soon excluded? Shareholders do everything to — Bobby Kotick

That is by no means all, as the aforementioned shareholders also asked the departure of Brian Kelly and Robert Morgado, two board members themselves, before December 31st. SOC underscores the need “A new beginning”

: “Activision Blizzard needs a new CEO, Chairman of the Board and Independent Lead Director with the expertise, skills and conviction to truly transform the company culture.”says group leader Dieter Waizenegger. The latter also reiterated his desire for a non-executive employee – at least one – to have his or her place on the board of directors.

But do these demands and declarations have a chance of bearing fruit? There’s still a long way to go as the SOC owns 4.8 million shares of Activision Blizzard out of 779 million. All that remains is the potential domino effect, the voice of this group of shareholders (without forgetting the other four above) can provoke those of the others and thus exert real pressure on the thinking mind of the editor. To be continued in the next episode.