Hasbro Names Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Chris Cocks as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, effective February 25, 2022. Mr. Cocks currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer of Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division, a global leader in tabletop and digital gaming.

Cocks joined the company from Microsoft in 2016 and was serving as the chief operating officer of its Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming division, which doubled its revenue to surpass $1 billion in 2021. He will take over from interim CEO Rich Stoddart on Feb. 25. Stoddart, who has served as an independent director at Hasbro since 2014, will become the chair of the board.

Hasbro (HAS) also said insider Eric Nyman has been appointed as its chief operating officer.

Nyman joined Hasbro in 2003 and currently serves as the chief consumer officer and chief operating officer of the company’s consumer products division.

Tracy Leinbach, current Chair of the Board, said: “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.”

Mr. Stoddart 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.”

Mr. 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.”