Electronic Arts Shakes Up Management

Electronic Arts (ERTS Quote) is undergoing a management shake-up, with the departure of two top executives and the promotion of several other top managers.

Leaving are the video-game software company's top two publishing executives: Don Mattrick and Bruce McMillan, the president and executive vice president, respectively, of EA's worldwide studios. Although they are leaving separately, both will stay on for a "short time" to finish up projects, said company spokeswoman Trudy Muller.

Mattrick will pursue other opportunities outside EA, the company said. Neither he nor McMillan expect to join another company immediately, Muller said.

"They both are taking a step back to evaluate what they are doing with their careers," Muller said, adding that their departures were "absolutely their own choice."

EA will replace Mattrick with Paul Lee, formerly an executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company's studios. McMillan's job will be divvied up between Gerhard Florin, who has been named EA's executive vice president in charge of international publishing operations, and Frank Gibeau, now the company's EVP in charge of North American publishing.

David Gardner, formerly senior vice president of international publishing, will assume Lee's previous position as chief operating officer of EA's studios. Florin and Gibeau's new titles represent additions to responsibilities they previously held within their publishing divisions.

Meanwhile, the company is shifting Nancy Smith over to become the executive vice president and general manager in charge of The Sims franchise, one of the company's key titles. Smith formerly held the position Gibeau is assuming.

And the company announced one other change: It is promoting Glenn Entis to the position of senior vice president and chief visual and technical officer.

Unlike the departures, the promotions are effective immediately, Muller said.

"These promotions ... reflect the enormous amount of talent and depth within our organization," said company CEO Larry Probst, in a statement. "These promotions and changes ... mark the end of an era for EA. Both Don and Bruce have made enormous contributions to our company, our industry and to people all over the world who love games."

The management changes at EA come as the company has struggled with disappointing results and lackluster sales in recent quarters and repeated efforts to lower investors expectations in coming quarters. However, Muller said the personnel changes are unrelated to the company's recent operating troubles.

"Don's leaving prompted a lot of these changes," she said, adding that Mattrick's departure allowed the company to take some reorganizing steps that it had already been considering.

Shares of EA closed regular trading off 52 cents, or about 0.9%, to $57.42 on Friday.