Global play and entertainment company, Hasbro, announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors, effective 25 February 2022. Cocks, who currently serves as president and chief operating officer (COO) of Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division, will succeed Interim CEO, Rich Stoddart, who was appointed following the October passing of Hasbro’s longtime CEO Brian Goldner.
Stoddart, who has served as a Hasbro independent director since 2014, will become Chair of the Board, effective 25 February 2022.
“Chris’s appointment marks the culmination of an extensive and thoughtful candidate review and selection process led by the Board. In Chris, we have chosen a leader uniquely positioned to execute and evolve Hasbro’s Brand Blueprint strategy while continuing to generate growth and deliver strong shareholder returns. Chris’s extensive omni-channel experience and proven track record make him the ideal leader for Hasbro as it continues to become the world’s leading play and entertainment company. On behalf of the board, we thank Rich for serving as Interim CEO during a difficult time for the Hasbro family and are delighted he will serve as chair of our board,” current board chair Tracy Leinbach said.
“Having known Chris for years and working more closely with him these last several months, I have no doubt that he will be an extraordinary leader for the next phase of Hasbro’s journey. A storyteller and gamer at heart, Chris innately understands how to create and nurture brands to drive fan and consumer connection across channels. He is a highly strategic leader, with the vision, skills and experience to unlock our Brand Blueprint for supercharged growth,” said Stoddart.
Looking forward to the new position, Cocks said, “Hasbro has amazing brands, gifted storytellers and unique entertainment assets, and I am humbled to step into the position of CEO at this important time and to build on the strong foundation Brian created. Our consumer products, gaming and entertainment teams are the best and most creative in the business and have shown such incredible resilience. I look forward to working with our highly-experienced senior management team as we continue to reimagine play and entertainment and deliver experiences to families and fans, of all ages, around the world.”
Cocks has served as president and COO of Wizards of the Coast since 2016, when he joined Hasbro from Microsoft. Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, offers games and entertainment under world-renowned brands such as Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons and Duel Masters. Under Cocks, Wizards of the Coast has focused on cooperative game play, expanding new digital initiatives and creating a robust workforce of back-end developers, digital designers, 3D artists and producers. Under his leadership, revenue at Wizards of the Coast has more than doubled, surpassing $1 billion in 2021.
During his 14 years at Microsoft, Cocks led a global sales and technical engagement team as VP, OEM technical sales and served in product management and marketing leadership positions at MSN and Xbox Games, where he worked on hit franchises like HALO and FABLE.
The company expects to name a new president for Wizards of the Coast in the coming weeks.
Eric Nyman to become Hasbro’s president and chief operating officer:
Hasbro also announced the appointment of longtime leader Eric Nyman as president and COO, effective 25 February 2022. In this new role, Nyman will oversee global business, operational and foundational platform investments; continue to lead Hasbro’s overall consumer licensing strategy and strategic partnerships; and oversee Hasbro’s global supply chain, directing the strategy for a next-generation consumer direct distribution platform.
“Eric has been a valued member of the Hasbro team for more than 18 years, inspiring our people, and driving consumer-focused innovation across our iconic brand portfolio. The company will benefit from his vast knowledge, creativity and leadership as he takes on this new, expanded role on our senior management team,” said Stoddart.
Nyman, who joined Hasbro in 2003, currently serves as chief consumer officer and COO of Hasbro Consumer Products. In this role, he leads the Hasbro Consumer Products business unit, including oversight for operations and partner relationships, Hasbro’s licensed consumer products business and Hasbro Pulse, the Company’s direct-to-consumer platform. He previously served in a number of senior roles, including president of Hasbro North America and GM and SVP of marketing.