Atari Appoints Pierce As President/CEO

Struggling U.S. publisher and Infogrames division Atari has announced former movie and music exec David Pierce as President and Chief Executive Officer, assuming CEO responsibilities previously held by Infogrames founder Bruno Bonnell, as the company attempts a further turnaround. According to the company, Pierce "assumes responsibility for the operational management of Atari and will partner with Mr. Bonnell to achieve strategic objectives of the Company", but Bonnell will continue to serve as the Company's Chairman and Chief Creative Officer (CCO), steering the creative vision for Atari. Atari's recent past has been beset with difficulties, including the sale of a number of major franchises and developers, including Timeshift, Stuntman, Driver, and the Reflections and Paradigm development studios. More recently, the company has been conducting a fight against NASDAQ delisting, since it is out of compliance with the NASDAQ stock market's rule that its stock maintain a $1.00 price. Pierce's background includes executive management experience with major entertainment companies such as Universal Pictures, MGM, Sony Pictures and Sony Music Entertainment, and served as Executive Vice President and General Manager of Sony kids' music and video arm Sony Wonder. "Atari has been a cornerstone of a global cultural movement that forever changed how we experience entertainment. It's an honor for me to have the opportunity to contribute to Atari's exciting future," stated Mr. Pierce. "There's a heritage of expectation that demands a high level of responsibility to our consumers and the interactive entertainment industry. I look forward to collaborating with the gifted and passionate individuals at Atari to build on that heritage and raise the bar on what consumers can expect."