Atari Hires Vivendi, Sony-BMG Vet As CEO

Atari has announced it has appointed Jim Wilson as its president and CEO, where he will assume full oversight of the company from Curtis G. Solsvig III, who has been the company's chief restructuring officer since October 2007. Wilson is said to have over 15 years of executive management experience with companies including Vivendi Universal Games, Universal Interactive Studios, and Sony Wonder/Sony BMG. Atari says Wilson's hiring is a "next key step" in its ongoing restructuring. Infogrames, the company's majority shareholder, has taken the reins of internal restructuring since October 2007, aiming to stabilize the struggling company with an increased focus on its distribution efforts. Atari says it has also re-established its credit facility with a $14 million dollar limit to fund its operations, thanks to primary lender BlueBay High Yield Investments. Commented Wilson, "Atari, Inc., with its world-renowned brand and strong library of game franchises, has a tremendous opportunity in North America. I look forward to working with the Atari team and shareholders to lead Atari, Inc. into its next phase of growth."