David Haddad, the executive who has presided over a string of hits at Warner Bros., has been promoted to president of the entertainment giant’s game business.
Haddad was already head of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, but now he gains the title of president of the division, as announced by Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products, and Ron Sanders, president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Home Entertainment Distribution. Haddad will continue to report to both Nelson and Sanders.
The appointment is a recognition of a big year that Warner Bros. has had in games. It launched Dying Light early in the year, and proceeded to release hits such as Mortal Kombat X, Batman: Arkham Knight, Lego Jurassic World, Mad Max, and Lego Dimensions. The latter is the company’s entry into the “toys-to-life” category, where physical toys are combined with digital games.
Haddad runs the interactive entertainment division’s operations.
“David has proven himself to be a leader who is equally adept at the creative and management sides of the games business,” said Sanders, in a statement. “This promotion recognizes the many contributions he’s made toward WBIE’s record-breaking success this year, and we’re looking to him to continue the division’s momentum.”
Haddad was promoted to executive vice president and general manager of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment in January 2015. Prior to that, he was executive vice president of publishing operations. He joined Warner Bros. as a senior vice president of digital publishing in 2013. Before that, he was chief operating officer of Activision Blizzard’s Guitar Hero business. He has 25 years of experience in online, entertainment, and games.