WotC WotC President Cynthia Williams Resigns

Cynthia Williams, who has been president of Wizards of the Coast for the last two years, will be leaving the company at the end of the month, according to an SEC filing dated April 15th. Hasbro is already looking for somebody to step into the role.

Williams worked for Microsoft on the Gaming Ecosystem Commercial Team before joining WotC two years ago, stepping into the role that then-president Chris Cocks vacated when he was promoted to CEO of Hasbro in February 2022.

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On April 15, 2024, Cynthia Williams, President of Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Gaming, informed the Company of her resignation from the Company effective April 26, 2024. The Company is conducting a process to identify her successor, looking at both internal and external candidates.

According to Rascal News, WotC responded with a comment: "We’re excited for Cynthia to take the next step in her career and grateful for the contributions she has made in her more than two years at Wizards and Hasbro. We wish her the absolute best in her next endeavor. We have started the search for our next President of Wizards of the Coast and hope to have a successor in place soon."

 

[Ruin Explorer]

I mean, that is a fairly likely possibility, considering there is no announcement of a successor.

Yeah it's definitely not impossible. I'd say it's somewhat less likely than this being partially planned but there being difficulties over announcing a replacement - which can be pretty variable - the classic one is, you had someone great on the hook and were nearly there, then someone else made them an even better offer - often the company they were already working for. Or sometimes the person you were hiring just gets cold feet, or there's some kind of opposition to appointing them that isn't easily resolved, which may be overcome or may require getting someone else. Oh or the other classic - you've got someone on the hook, but they're being tricky about signing, asking for more money or a better contract or whatever, and it's surprising how late in the process that can become an issue with high-end execs (who are seen as rare, non-fungible beasts, however accurately or inaccurately), because they're absolutely not subjected to the same hiring approaches as us peons.

A sudden firing (which would never be an actual firing unless they'd like murdered a guy in the street! Always a resignation for our noble caste) is much less likely, especially as even with those, you tend of have months of fully-paid gardening leave before the firing is actually announced, and they usually wait for a successor to be lined up.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Over on reddit, a bunch of people are suggesting that Hasbro made her resign so that she can be the fall guy for recent unpopular decisions, then hire a man to replace her and get a clean state. Although several other people are saying that's a dumb thought because it's too conspiratorial.

They're not hiring and firing company presidents as marketing decisions.

That's extremely dumb, even for reddit.

 

[Ruin Explorer]

They're not hiring and firing company presidents as marketing decisions.

That's extremely dumb, even for reddit.

I swear Reddit is managing to get significantly dumber and more conspiratorial as time goes on. I blame COVID melting people's brains + Gen Z mom's basement types (somehow more numerous than in earlier generations, which is impressive) who have never, ever worked in any kind of professional capacity (not even retail or hospitality, not even at GameStop as many basement trolls of yore did!) but who think they're absolute brain geniuses at everything to do with money and business, because Andrew Tate told them they were.

 

[mamba]

I want the next president to build a dynastic player-focused culture that calls out the corporate BS. Someone with the experience and charisma to influence the Board and stockholders into understanding that catering to the needs of the Community is the correct, and profitable, thing to do.

to me they already do that, see the playtests, it seems to not result in what you are looking for however

 

[Myrdin Potter]

If a new job, then there will be an annoucement soon.

If let go, will be a severance charge or something. Might have to wait a year for the next proxy.

Otherewise, their business, not mine.

 

[Erdric Dragin]

Make sense. She's the SECOND Cynthia Williams to mess up the industry (The first being back in the 80s). Coincidentally. That OGL fiasco was unnecessary.

 

[teitan]

My guess it’s mostly stock related.
View attachment 358481

That was toy sales related, Marvel Legends, Black Series and the D&D toyline performed extremely poorly after the pandemic while gaming was actually up and the only solid performer. D&D's current slump is new edition related and standard, probably written into expectations.

 

[Alzrius]

D&D's current slump is new edition related and standard, probably written into expectations.

A lot of people say that, but I wonder. WotC spent quite a bit of time telling us how this wasn't a new edition, highlighting the compatibility with the current iteration of 5E, making a show of how little things were changing, etc. I'm guessing that there was some degree of hope/expectation that a pre-rollout slump could be mitigated (or even avoided), which clearly hasn't happened.

 

[MockingBird]

A lot of people say that, but I wonder. WotC spent quite a bit of time telling us how this wasn't a new edition, highlighting the compatibility with the current iteration of 5E, making a show of how little things were changing, etc. I'm guessing that there was some degree of hope/expectation that a pre-rollout slump could be mitigated (or even avoided), which clearly hasn't happened.

Maybe in the future. Most are so use to new editions being noncompatible I'd guess it'd take some time to shake off the habit of holding out until the new arrives.

 

[kenmarable]

They're not hiring and firing company presidents as marketing decisions.

That's extremely dumb, even for reddit.

Exactly. Now marketing to Wall Street is another matter (although I doubt that's the case here without a clearer message behind it). But, yeah, thinking this has anything whatsoever to do with influencing customer opinions is laughably wrong.