EA "back to square one" in CEO search after Mattrick’s Zynga switch

Michael Pachter has claimed that recently departed Xbox boss Don Mattrick was the No.1 choice for the vacant CEO role at EA.

Mattrick’s decision to join Zynga, then, has left EA in what can technically be described as a pickle”.

"Now that Mr. Mattrick has taken the job at Zynga, EA is back to square one in its search,” Pachter told investors. We believe that the company will find few qualified candidates outside the company, and will ultimately choose between the top two internal candidates, COO Peter Moore and EVP Frank Gibeau.

Both men are capable of running EA, in our opinion, and investors would respond favourably to either being appointed."

Pachter even admits to being surprised” that Mattrick took the Zynga job – although MCV reckons it could have a stab at the reasons why.

"EA presents a different challenge from Zynga, with over four times the revenue and significantly higher profitability,” he added. We think that the company is largely on the right track already.

We were surprised that Mr Mattrick took the Zynga job. We believed that the larger company presented a more prestigious opportunity.”