Atari Gets EA Online Vet Burns As Europe GM

As it aims to move more of its business online, Atari has hired former Electronic Arts European Online Publishing senior director John Burns as its VP and general manager for Europe. Burns, who claims more than 20 years' experience, will now lead Atari's commercial efforts in the region, reporting to Atari president and CEO Jim Wilson. "John joins Atari at time when we are transitioning our business toward online while maintaining a focused retail business," says Wilson. Says Burns: "The European business needs to deliver strongly in order to contribute to that strategy and I will be looking to leverage my experience in building both packaged goods and online games businesses in order to help it do so." While at EA, Burns supported the launch of the company's global mobile division before migrating into online, with responsibility for digital distribution, MMO, web and in-game ad strategy. Atari has seen financial troubles over the past few years as it aims for a return to profitability, but its most recent fiscal quarter seemed to show relative stability in its results as it pursues a return to growth.