Following a deluge of lawsuits and high-profile staff departures, we’ve learned Activision hired a former Disney exec as their new HR boss to help tidy up the company’s image.
Activision hired Julie Hodges, the former senior VP of corporate HR and overall staffing at The Walt Disney Company as their new HR boss. Hodges is replacing the current CPO Claudine Naughton and “will lead all aspects of human resources” ranging from new hires to the ever-popular “diversity, equity, and inclusion” racket.
“I can’t think of a better person to join our team and help lead our ongoing commitment to an inclusive workplace,” Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in the new announcement. “Julie is the seasoned leader we need to ensure we are the most inspiring, equitable and emulated entertainment company in the world.”
Hodges spent over three decades at Disney and said they want Activision to now “welcome all perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds.”
“A workforce where everyone feels valued is critical to the success of our business, as is a trusting, engaging and safe environment that encourages creativity and innovation and in which all employees can thrive,” Hodges said. “It takes a collective effort to do this, and I’m looking forward to ensuring that we support the diversity of our talent to bring our people together and continue creating amazing entertainment.”
The news that Activision hired a former Disney exec as their new HR boss makes sense considering their reputation has been soured enough to even have their own internal developers omit the Activision name from the latest Call of Duty game. The studio said the removal of the name was a “creative choice” and reflected how Call of Duty: Vanguard represents the franchise.
Previously, nearly a thousand current and former Activision Blizzard employees signed an open letter condemning Activision’s response to a 2-year California investigation into the company, noting it’s “abhorrent and insulting.”