EA's sports game chief Wilson becomes CEO

Reuters
Andrew Wilson, executive vice president, EA Sports, speaks about EA Sports Ignite, developed for Xbox One during a press event unveiling Microsoft's new Xbox in Redmond, Washington May 21, 2013 in this file picture. REUTERS/Nick Adams

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Electronic Arts Inc named sports and digital games division head Andrew Wilson its new chief executive on Tuesday, filling the top job after a six-month search to replace John Riccitiello. Wilson, an Australian native who joined Electronic Arts in 2000, had headed up the online games division and sports game label, which publishes top titles such as soccer franchise "FIFA". "Andrew is the first studio executive to serve as our CEO, a testament to his blend of creative skills and business acumen," Executive Chairman Larry Probst said in a blog post. Wilson starts at an annual base salary of $800,000 and is eligible for a bonus of 150 percent of that upon hitting his targets, the company said. Former chief executive Riccitiello stepped down on March 30, taking responsibility for missed operational targets. (Reporting by Malathi Nayak; Editing by Eric Walsh)