All Activision Blizzard articles
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PremiumNorfolk Southern fires CEO, CLO for affair that violated company policies
Norfolk Southern Corp., the railroad still cleaning up the environmental and financial damages caused when one of its trains derailed in a small Ohio town, has fired its top executive and chief legal officer after concluding they had an affair that violated company policies.
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News BriefActivision Blizzard to pay $55M to settle California discrimination suit
Activision Blizzard agreed to pay nearly $55 million as part of a settlement with the California Civil Rights Department addressing highly publicized accusations of workplace discrimination against women at the video game company.
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PremiumM&A lessons from EU’s maximum $476M fine against Illumina
The European Commission imposed maximum disciplinary measures in fining U.S.-based biotechnology company Illumina €432 million (U.S. $476 million) regarding its “gun-jumping” merger with cancer detection company Grail.
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OpinionLessons in cybersecurity: Control the breach narrative
Recent botched data breach responses at Activision Blizzard and GoDaddy prompt timely consideration of communication best practices shared by cybersecurity experts at CW’s virtual Cyber Risk & Data Privacy Summit.
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News BriefActivision Blizzard fined $35M by SEC over workplace harassment disclosures
Activision Blizzard will pay $35 million to resolve Securities and Exchange Commission charges it violated federal securities laws by failing to adequately disclose how its ineffective response to workplace complaints was harming its ability to hire and retain skilled employees.
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ArticleReports: Controversial Activision Blizzard CCO steps down
Activision Blizzard Chief Compliance Officer Frances Townsend, a central figure in the video game developer’s corporate culture scandal, stepped down from her position, according to multiple reports.
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ArticleApproved Activision Blizzard settlement with EEOC offers lessons for tech
A federal judge gave final approval to a settlement reached last year between Activision Blizzard and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding the video game company’s systemic culture of sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and retaliation.
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ArticleMicrosoft, Activision Blizzard, and importance of cultural due diligence in M&A
Rarely do cultural considerations play a role in M&A transactions, though they are often critical to the ultimate success of a deal. Microsoft’s planned acquisition of embattled video game developer Activision Blizzard offers a timely case study.
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PremiumTop ethics and compliance failures of 2021
Systemic risk management lapses at a financial services firm, allegations of toxic culture at a video game giant, and more of the same baffling behavior from one of the world’s largest tech companies comprise CW’s list of the biggest ethics and compliance fails of 2021.
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ArticleActivision Blizzard case study: When CCOs become the CEO’s mouthpiece
Many chief compliance officers report directly to the board or chief executive officer. But what happens to the CCO when the CEO is the problem? Take Activision Blizzard as an example of what not to do.
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ArticleActivision Blizzard compliance update: Personnel changes, transparency goals
Activision Blizzard announced the promotion of Jen Brewer to the role of senior vice president, ethics and compliance amid a series of other measures the embattled company is taking to enhance its culture.
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ArticleActivision Blizzard EEOC deal: All form, no substance
Activision Blizzard’s $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission mirrors in many ways the terms ride-sharing company Uber reached in a deal with the EEOC in 2019—except the agreement is void of any accountability.
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ArticleEmbattled Activision Blizzard confirms SEC subpoenas
Activision Blizzard confirmed the company and several of its current and former employees and executives received subpoenas from the SEC “regarding disclosures on employment matters and related issues.”
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ArticleActivision Blizzard scandal signals day of reckoning for video game industry
Activision Blizzard is not only a case study in how not to respond to allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace—it’s also the latest blatant showing of managerial recklessness in an industry ripe for transformational change.
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Activision Blizzard recruits chief legal officer from Boeing
Video gaming company Activision Blizzard announced the appointment of Boeing’s Grant Dixton as its new chief legal officer.
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Bush administration veteran joins Activision Blizzard as chief compliance officer
Video game giant Activision Blizzard announced Frances Townsend has joined the company as executive vice president for corporate affairs and has been appointed by the board of directors to serve as corporate secretary and chief compliance officer.