Take-Two Expands Eastward, Hires EA, Vivendi Vet As Asia President

Publisher Take-Two has announced the hiring of EA and Vivendi vet Hubert Larenaudie as its newly created Asia-region president, to spearhead an expansion into Asia Pacific territory with a stronger presence in Japan and online game operations in China and Korea. Take-Two notes that Larenaudie has some 15 years of industry experience specifically "in building successful Asia Pacific businesses." At EA, he held the title of president of Asia Online, and oversaw product development, licensing and studio acquisitions in South Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. Before that, he served as president of Asia Pacific at Vivendi, where, according to the company, "under his supervision, VUG became one of the most successful interactive entertainment companies in the Asia Pacific region, with extensive market penetration for its World of Warcraft brand." Said Take-Two executive VP Gary Dale, "Hubert Larenaudie is an experienced senior executive who has successfully built or expanded Asia Pacific operations for prominent interactive entertainment and consumer goods companies. His in-depth knowledge of the region; his skill in creating the right product development, distribution and marketing strategy for each local market; and his track record of driving growth will help Take-Two realize the tremendous opportunities in APAC." Added Larenaudie, "Many of Take-Two's franchises, such as Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, Sid Meier's Civilization, and BioShock are international hits, and already have attracted large and enthusiastic fan bases in markets such as Japan, South Korea and China. With the Company's portfolio of leading brands, growing sports business, extraordinary creative talent and global appeal, I see exciting potential to build a significant Asia Pacific business for Take-Two, with a particular emphasis on the online game segment of the market."