Further changes for Activision management

In a week which has seen an unprecedented number of management changes, Activision continues the senior level reorganisation with the impending departure of Ron Doornink.

Relinquishing his role as president and chairman of Activision Publishing on 31st December 2005, Doornink will remain on the company payroll from 1st January 2006 to June 2007, working in an "executive advisory role and performing such other services as the Board or Company's management may reasonably request."

His annual salary will drop from USD 650,000 to USD 250,000 per annum, although he will still be eligible for bonuses providing certain financial milestones are met.

Earlier in the week, Activision announced the appointment of former Proctor and Gamble executive Thomas Tippl in the role of Chief Financial Officer. Tipple will be the latest ex P&G employee appointed by Activision and follows former president of P&G, Michael Griffith. Griffith assumed the role of president and CEO of the Activision publishing division earlier in the year.

Industry observers commenting on last week's resignation of Activision's president of publishing, Kathy Vrabeck, believe that Griffith's appointment to the company may have been the catalyst for her departure. Rumours that Vrabeck was passed over for promotion in favour of appointing Griffith to the role have been denied by the company.