PRovoke Media 17 Mar 2020 // 4:31AM GMT
LOS ANGELES — Activision Blizzard has named public affairs veteran Helaine Klasky as the gaming giant's new chief communications officer.
Klasky, who arrives from a previous role as CCO at SoundExchange, replaces Kristen Binns, who will remain with Activision Blizzard as a senior advisor, reporting to CEO Bobby Kotick. Binns joined the company in mid-2018, after leading global communications at Twitter.
"With more than 25 years in strategic communications and public affairs, [Klasky's] experience will be invaluable to our organization," said Kotick in a statement. "She's the right person to help us tell the next chapter of the Activision Blizzard story."
Prior to joining SoundExchange in 2019, Klasky served as chair of Burson-Marsteller’s US public affairs and crisis practice. Before that, she spent seven years with General Electric, where she established the company's global public affairs function and served as the CCO for GE Energy Management.
Activision Blizzard's hire of a new CCO comes after it named a new president/COO last week, bringing in Daniel Alegre from Google. The company's previous president Coddy Johnson has also moved to a special advisor role.
Klasky's career also includes a stint as CCO at Yale University, and numerous roles in the federal government, where she served as deputy assistant secretary at the US Department of the Treasury for public affairs and deputy assistant US trade representative for public affairs.
“Activision Blizzard is one of the most forward-thinking, creative brands across the media and entertainment landscape,” said Klasky. “Alongside Bobby and his team, I’m looking forward to building the next chapter of their remarkable story.”