EA appoints Andrew Wilson as CEO

Electronic Arts has ended its search for a new CEO by appointing EA Sports EVP Andrew Wilson into the role.

The position had been vacant since former EA CEO John Riccitiello left in March. Executive chairman Larry Probst had been leading the firm on an interim basis while a replacement was sort.

Wilson has been at EA since 2000 and has held a number of key roles during the company during that time. He has worked as executive producer on the publisher’s FIFA franchise, and also as EVP of EA Sports and for its digital distribution platform Origin.

Wilson will be given a base annual salary of $800,000, as well as a bonus of 150 per cent of his wages should certain targets be met.

“I am convinced that Andrew was an inspired choice by our board, and one I expect the team at EA will enthusiastically support,” said Probst.

"Andrew is the first studio executive to serve as our CEO, a testament to his blend of creative skills and business acumen. He is a compelling and charismatic communicator who cares deeply about organisational 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 added: “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.

“I also believe EA’s strategy is sound. 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.

“In the short term, our mission is crystal clear: We are 100 per cent 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.”