Frances Townsend, who joined Activision Blizzard in 2021, will become a senior adviser to the company’s board and CEO.
Photo:
John Lamparski/Getty Images for Concordia Summit
An
Activision Blizzard Inc.
ATVI -0.71%
executive who played a central role in the videogame company’s response to sexual-harassment allegations last year is stepping down.
Frances F. Townsend joined the Call of Duty publisher in March 2021 as executive vice president for corporate affairs, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer. Her last day is Friday, after which she will become a senior adviser to the company’s board and chief executive,
Bobby Kotick,
Mr. Kotick wrote in a late Thursday email to staff viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
“She tirelessly and successfully navigated a challenging time for the Company with leadership, conviction, and grace,” said Mr. Kotick in the email.
Ms. Townsend will no longer be an employee, a spokeswoman said. Her deputies will be promoted to fill the positions she held. Starting Oct. 1, Jen Brewer will become chief ethics and compliance officer and Luci Altman will be promoted to corporate secretary.
Soon after being hired, Ms. Townsend, a former counterterrorism official under President
George W. Bush,
was tasked with helping Activision deal with state and federal probes into allegations of gender bias and sexual harassment at the company.
Activision has said it has taken steps to improve its work environment and is committed to making the company one of the best, most inclusive places to work.
Ms. Townsend’s departure comes as Activision is in the process of being acquired by Microsoft Corp. for $75 billion. The companies have said they expect the transaction, which is being reviewed by antitrust authorities in the U.S. and elsewhere, to close by June 2023.
The European Commission on Friday opened a formal probe into the deal and set a provisional deadline of Nov. 8 for the first phase of its investigation. Microsoft said the Commission’s review was progressing in line with its expectations.
—Kim Mackrael contributed to this article.
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Appeared in the October 1, 2022, print edition as ‘Activision’s Compliance Chief Leaves.’
Frances Townsend, who joined Activision Blizzard in 2021, will become a senior adviser to the company’s board and CEO.
Photo:
John Lamparski/Getty Images for Concordia Summit
An
Activision Blizzard Inc.
ATVI -0.71%
executive who played a central role in the videogame company’s response to sexual-harassment allegations last year is stepping down.
Frances F. Townsend joined the Call of Duty publisher in March 2021 as executive vice president for corporate affairs, corporate secretary and chief compliance officer. Her last day is Friday, after which she will become a senior adviser to the company’s board and chief executive,
Bobby Kotick,
Mr. Kotick wrote in a late Thursday email to staff viewed by The Wall Street Journal.
“She tirelessly and successfully navigated a challenging time for the Company with leadership, conviction, and grace,” said Mr. Kotick in the email.
Ms. Townsend will no longer be an employee, a spokeswoman said. Her deputies will be promoted to fill the positions she held. Starting Oct. 1, Jen Brewer will become chief ethics and compliance officer and Luci Altman will be promoted to corporate secretary.
Soon after being hired, Ms. Townsend, a former counterterrorism official under President
George W. Bush,
was tasked with helping Activision deal with state and federal probes into allegations of gender bias and sexual harassment at the company.
Activision has said it has taken steps to improve its work environment and is committed to making the company one of the best, most inclusive places to work.
Ms. Townsend’s departure comes as Activision is in the process of being acquired by Microsoft Corp. for $75 billion. The companies have said they expect the transaction, which is being reviewed by antitrust authorities in the U.S. and elsewhere, to close by June 2023.
The European Commission on Friday opened a formal probe into the deal and set a provisional deadline of Nov. 8 for the first phase of its investigation. Microsoft said the Commission’s review was progressing in line with its expectations.
—Kim Mackrael contributed to this article.
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at sarah.needleman@wsj.com
Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Appeared in the October 1, 2022, print edition as ‘Activision’s Compliance Chief Leaves.’