EA Plays Executive Shuffle

(The Hollywood Reporter) -- Electronic Arts Worldwide Studios president Don Mattrick has left the company after 23 years "to seek other opportunities." Executive VP Bruce McMillan also has exited.

The departures set off a significant shake-up within the world's largest videogame company, the basic facts of which were confirmed late Sept. 2.

Mattrick will be replaced by V. Paul Lee, who was CEO. Lee and Mattrick joined EA as part of the company's acquisition of Distinctive Software in 1991.

Electronic Arts senior manager of corporate publicity Trudy Muller said it was Mattrick's decision to leave EA. His leaving was the catalyst of all of the other moves, she said, and also provided a good opportunity to initiate a package of changes that the company had been considering.

As part of the reorganization, David Gardner has been promoted to global studio COO, the position previously held by Lee. Muller said the move underscored the close relationship between EA's publishing and studio businesses.

Other promotions include Gerhard Florin being named executive VP international publishing and Frank Gibeau being upped to executive VP North American publishing.

"These promotions of Paul, Gerhard, David and Frank reflect the enormous amount of talent and depth within our organization," EA chairman/CEO Larry Probst said. "Each of these executives has served many years in our company, developing their leadership skills and proving themselves with increasing levels of responsibility."