Former Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime has joined GameStop’s board of directors. On April 20, he’ll be joining two additional newcomers to the GameStop board, former Walmart CEO William S. Simon and PetsMart CEO James “J.K.” Symancyk.
The move comes in a massive, years-long overhaul for GameStop, a bid to reinvent itself and reverse a trend in low sales and engagement. The board makeup reflects this push towards the new as well. After this year’s annual board meeting, the company’s board of directors will have 10 directors, six of whom have been with the company for less than two years.
Fils-Aime said on Twitter he believes GameStop is a vital part of the industry, and he’s looking forward to the chance to help turn it around.
The gaming industry needs a healthy and vibrant @GameStop. I look forward to being a part of @GameStopCorp Board and helping to make this happen. https://t.co/pYWFGZ9XKj
— Reggie Fils-Aime (@Reggie) March 9, 2020
Company CEO George Sherman sees the move as a key part of the company’s strategy:
The Board refreshment and governance enhancements announced today represent an important milestone in GameStop’s transformation as we continue to evolve the Company’s business strategy for long-term success.
We look forward to immediately benefiting from [new board members’] expertise and perspectives as we navigate the evolving gaming and retail environments… and prepare the Company to maximize value-creation associated with the next generation of console launches later this year.
What these changes and initiatives will consist of remains unclear, though we do know GameStop is turning towards experience-based marketing efforts and plans to make retro a significant part of the retail setup. It certainly hasn’t been without its challenges, though.
You can check out the full press release on GameStop’s newsroom website. Stay tuned to GameSkinny for more GameStop news as it develops.
