King Digital Entertainment, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, recently experienced leadership changes. Tjodolf Sommestad is the new president of the video game company. He was promoted to the role when Humam Sakhnini stepped down after serving six years as president. In addition, Sebastian Knutsson, one of the co-founders of King, left his position as the chief creative officer.
Sommestad may be new to the president position, but he’s no stranger to King. He’s been with the company for over a decade as the senior vice president of the popular Candy Crush Saga franchise and also the chief development officer on the Games Studios and technology teams. “I’m delighted to be taking over as the new president of King — a business I’ve been proud to be part of for more than a decade,” said Sommestad. “After breaking revenue records in 2021, we expect to build on this momentum through a continued focus on building playful player experiences across our live franchises, so we can continue to delight our players and make the world more playful.”
Activision CEO Bobby Kotick stated, “I want to thank Humam Sakhnini and Sebastian Knutsson. I have greatly valued my partnership over these 12 years with Humam. He was instrumental in the acquisition of Blizzard and King, and our company has been fortunate for his contributions. And Sebastian helped create an entire industry bringing gaming to hundreds of millions of new players around the world. He is a pioneer and visionary, and we are grateful for the passion and creativity he inspired within King.” Kotick added that “both Humam and Sebastian have worked tirelessly to build a great culture at King and prepare the business for this exciting next level.”
Departing president Sakhnini said that Sommestad “is a tremendously talented leader who will continue to drive innovation in our franchises.” Daniel Alegre, Activision Blizzard’s president and chief operating officer, stated Sommestad “is an exceptional leader who has played a central role in driving the continued growth and development of our mobile games’ franchises. He brings a wealth of experience in innovation, technology, and game development. I am confident King will be able to sustain its growth while serving its player community with the enduring delight of its games.”
Sakhnini has worked at Activision Blizzard for 12 years in addition to his time at King and is proud of the company’s accomplishments. “We delivered record results and delighted our players around the world thanks to the commitment, great work, and passion of our talented teams,” he said.
Activision Blizzard Acquired King in 2016 for $5.9 Billion
Kotick said the company acquired King in February 2016 because of the excellent franchise potential. “That got us really excited,” Kotick said. “Now, with the introduction of high-quality mobile devices, we’re looking at everybody being a consumer.” In addition, Kotick noted that because 60% of King’s consumer base is female, “there are more opportunities now than we’ve ever had before.”
King has game studios globally and approximately 240 million monthly active users worldwide. The company has developed 200-plus games, including Candy Crush, Bubble Witch, Pet Rescue, and Farm Heroes Saga.
“Thanks to Humam’s leadership and the fantastic work and dedication of our teams, the business is in a position of financial and creative strength, setting the stage for King’s next level of growth,” said Sommestad.
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