WotC: Goodbye, Loren Greenwood, hello Greg Leeds

[Rabelais]

Hannah Montana: Queen of the Damned. It's a bit LARPish for my taste, but not bad if you can ignore the character creation rules.

 

[Khairn]

Very interesting indeed.

Having gone through a few similar changes in my business career, I'm sure that whispers and innuendo's are flying between the cubes at WotC. I also believe that dramatic changes such as this, in the middle of a major product launch are very rare, for a very good reason. Namely that they cause uncertainty and bring into question almost everything that is planned, but not executed.

I wonder when we'll get some "official" word from the Rouse or other WotC voices.

 

[hong]

Bit presumptuous isn't it?

What, you hope he leads WotC into the bucket?

 

[Terramotus]

My thoughts too. My guess is Leeds has:
1. An MBA
2. Never played D&D prior to taking his new position (and maybe still hasn't)
3. No concern what happens to the hobby, only what WotC's bottom line is during his tenure.

I'd be delighted if it turned out that points 2 and 3 were wrong but I fear the worst. :\

Points 1 and 2 are rather irrelevant. Point 3 is the important one. Here's the thing - he wouldn't be where he is if he didn't put profits during his tenure as his top priority. The question is whether he's one of those businessmen that not only sees a need to steward the overall welfare of the division he's in charge of, but is a talented enough manager to maximize profits while doing so... or is just a regular businessman who sacrifices his division for the numbers he needs.

The second kind are lots more common. IME, the selection processes of most companies select pretty strongly against managers with actual talent.

Meh. The people who generate actual value for the company will continue to do so regardless, at a fraction of the payrate.

 

[Tetsubo]

I've seen too many marketers and MBA holders convinced that they could "manage anything". I want the head guy at WoTC to be a gamer. Not some marketing suit. This is another example that WoTC is headed in the wrong direction. Nothing good will come of this.

I told my wife this news (she is a non-gamer) and even she thought it was a bad idea.

 

[Ranger REG]

I've seen too many marketers and MBA holders convinced that they could "manage anything". I want the head guy at WoTC to be a gamer. Not some marketing suit. This is another example that WoTC is headed in the wrong direction. Nothing good will come of this.

Apparently Hasbro made the decision. Personally, I'd rather have Bill Slavicsek.

We'll see if the new guy can prove to us.

 

[Keefe the Thief]

Oh conspiracy theory and doomsaying, thou taste like sweet nectar. Also, welcome, new guy.

 

[Yair]

You know that reads a lot like

Let me be among the first to welcome [our] new corporate president Greg Leeds alien overlords...

Just saying...

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I've seen too many marketers and MBA holders convinced that they could "manage anything". I want the head guy at WoTC to be a gamer. Not some marketing suit. This is another example that WoTC is headed in the wrong direction. Nothing good will come of this.

I told my wife this news (she is a non-gamer) and even she thought it was a bad idea.

I completely disagree with you.

I've worked in the biotech industry my entire career. In my experience the best of these companies are the ones where the organization is run by a business person who knows when to direct, when to change direction and when to stay out of the way of the scientists who ultimately supply the value to the company.

Companies where the top scientist is the CEO usually get themselves run into the ground until investors insist on a change.

I want to see WotC run by a person who wants the division to be an important part of Hasbro, knows how to manage the corporate executives at HQ as well as the people at WotC, and lets the gamers who develop and produce the products do their job with minimal interference. I don't know if this guy is the one to do that, but I'm willing to wait and see rather than immediately condemn him for (probably) not being a gamer.

 

[Khairn]

I completely disagree with you.

I've worked in the biotech industry my entire career. In my experience the best of these companies are the ones where the organization is run by a business person who knows when to direct, when to change direction and when to stay out of the way of the scientists who ultimately supply the value to the company.

Companies where the top scientist is the CEO usually get themselves run into the ground until investors insist on a change.

I want to see WotC run by a person who wants the division to be an important part of Hasbro, knows how to manage the corporate executives at HQ as well as the people at WotC, and lets the gamers who develop and produce the products do their job with minimal interference. I don't know if this guy is the one to do that, but I'm willing to wait and see rather than immediately condemn him for (probably) not being a gamer.

I completely agree. Letting one of the inmates rule the asylum is not a good plan for a healthy and well managed company. A President / CEO needs vision, the ability to communicate and the ability to step back and let his people do what needs to get done to make it all happen.