eOne owner Hasbro names Wizards of the Coast’s Chris Cocks as new CEO

Hasbro, the global entertainment company and owner of Entertainment One (eOne), has appointed Chris Cocks to succeed its interim CEO Rich Stoddart.

Chris Cocks

Cocks currently serves as president and chief operating officer of Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast and digital gaming division.

He will succeed Stoddart, who was appointed following the October passing of Hasbro’s longtime CEO Brian Goldner, and become a member of Hasbro’s board of directors on February 25.

Stoddart, who has served as a Hasbro independent director since 2014, will become chair of the board at the same time.

Cocks joined Hasbro from Microsoft in 2016 and has overseen brands such as Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons and Duel Masters.

During his 14 years at Microsoft, Cocks led a global sales and technical engagement team and served in product management and marketing leadership positions at MSN and Xbox Games, where he worked on franchises such as Halo and Fable.

Hasbro said it expects to name a new president for Wizards of the Coast, its developer of tabletop and digital games, in the coming weeks.

The company has also appointed Eric Nyman as president and chief operating officer.

Nyman, who joined Hasbro in 2003, currently serves as chief consumer officer and chief operating officer of Hasbro Consumer Products and will take on his new roles on February 25.

Hasbro’s activities span consumer products, including toys and games, plus entertainment through eOne, its independent studio, and gaming. It owns brands including Nerf, My Little Pony, Transformers, Play-Doh, Monopoly, Power Rangers, Peppa Pig and PJ Masks. The company acquired eOne for around US$3.8bn in 2019.

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.”

Stoddart added: “A storyteller and gamer at heart, Chris innately understands how to create and nurture brands to drive fan and consumer connection across channels.”