Rich Stoddart, the lead independent director of Hasbro’s board, has been appointed as interim CEO and will begin immediately.
Hasbro announced on Sunday that Brian Goldner will be taking a medical leave of absence from his CEO role, with immediate effect. In August 2020, Brian revealed that he had been undergoing continued medical treatment for cancer since 2014. He has served as the CEO of Hasbro since 2008, and has served as the chairman since May 2015.
Rich Stoddart, currently the lead independent director of Hasbro’s board, will take over as interim CEO. In a statement, Hasbro said that Rich brings extensive leadership experience and expertise in global brand-building, advertising and marketing, as well as supply chain management. He was previously CEO at InnerWorkings a global marketing execution company, and Leo Burnett Worldwide. Rich has served on Hasbro’s board since 2014.
In conjunction with the appointment of an interim CEO, Hasbro’s board has also reappointed Edward Philip as lead independent director, and Tracy Leinbach as chair of the nominating, governance and social responsibility committee of the board.
Edward Philip has more than 30 years of business and management experience as both an operating executive and chief financial officer of multinational corporations, while Tracy Leinbach served as the executive vice president and chief financial officer for Ryder System, a global logistics and transportation and supply chain solutions provider from 2003 until 2006.
In a statement issued last night, Edward Philip commented: “Brian has been an inspiring and visionary leader who has set Hasbro on an incredible path towards the future. All of us at Hasbro are thinking of him while he focuses on his health.”
Under Brian’s leadership, Hasbro recently posted strong Q1 results, with strong sell in and demand in the Consumer Products segment, plus growing revenues in the Wizards of the Coast division and licensed digital gaming. Brian thanked the global Hasbro team and said this positioned the company well to deliver growth for the full year in the Entertainment segment.
Toy World would like to wish Brian all the best.
