Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, who stepped down from running the Call of Duty publisher after Microsoft completed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision-Blizzard-King, is joining David Ellison’s board of directors at the newly christened Skydance following Paramount’s now-completed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery.
The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Kotick’s spot on the new board, which was disclosed in a new SEC filing, along with philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs. Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair also joins as a board advisor. “I am delighted to welcome Laurene and Bobby to our Board and honored to have Tony join us as an Advisor,” Ellison said. “Bobby led a global entertainment company through three decades of sustained growth, and he brings real perspective on building enduring franchises and connecting with fans. His record of pairing bold strategic moves with disciplined capital allocation is exactly the experience we need as we bring our businesses together. Tony has led at the highest levels of government, respected for his intellect, strategic vision and ability to bring people together around bold, forward-looking ideas. His global perspective and insight will be invaluable as we turn ambition into results.”
The 13-member board includes a number of other entertainment-industry figures, such as Barbara Byrne, Andy Campion, Gerry Cardinale, Safra A. Catz, Andy Gordon, Justin G. Hamill, Ynon Kreiz, Sherry Lansing, Paul Marinelli, and John L. Thornton.
While Activision grew to become one of the game industry’s largest publishers during Kotick’s 32-year tenure, it wasn’t without controversy. He believes he was right to sell the company to Microsoft in the end.
