Atari picks entertainment boss for presidential task

Atari, the troubled video games publisher, has appointed David Pierce as president and chief executive a year after Jim Caparro’s departure from the role.

Atari, the troubled video games publisher, has appointed David Pierce as president and chief executive a year after Jim Caparro’s departure from the role.

Atari chairman and chief creative officer Bruno Bonnell had assumed Caparro’s responsibilities after his exit and will hand over to Pierce with immediate effect. Pierce will work alongside Bonnell “to achieve strategic objectives”, according to the company.

Pierce moves to Atari with over 20 years’ executive management experience at major entertainment companies such as Universal Pictures, MGM, Sony Pictures and Sony Music. He brings a reputation for turning businesses around.

He spearheaded the restructure of Sony Wonder, a division of Sony BMG Music Entertainment, where he was executive vice-president and general manager. Under his leadership, the company achieved record revenues and multiple years of record profits.

Prior to Sony Wonder, Pierce was senior vice-president of Columbia Tristar Home Video, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, from 1989 to 1994. He was recruited to help devise and execute a complete reorganisation of the company.

At Columbia, he reorganised staffing and developed new distribution strategies and sales and marketing initiatives.

Bonnell says: “Pierce has spent his career in the entertainment business, and has a clear understanding and appreciation of our consumers. His leadership skills, first-hand operational execution, and keen focus on profitability and investment value make him the ideal person to lead Atari.”

The announcement comes days after the US publisher revealed that it has received a delisting notification from Nasdaq, because it has failed to maintain the minimum $1 share price.