Keywords announces appointment of Bertrand Bodson as new CEO
Keywords Studios, the international technical and creative services provider to the global video games industry, is pleased to announce the appointment of Bertrand Bodson to its Board as Chief Executive Officer.
The appointment follows the announcement, in June, that Andrew Day had decided to bring forward his retirement plan. Bertrand’s appointment as CEO will be effective from December 1st, 2021.
Bertrand (46) brings deep experience in driving and executing growth strategies for international businesses gained throughout his 23-year career through establishing new business models and innovative platforms, developing strategic partnerships, international expansion and digital transformation.
He joins from global healthcare leader Novartis where, in his role as Chief Digital Officer since 2018, and as an Executive Committee member, he managed the digital transformation of the business, leading large-scale teams, securing a number of strategic partnerships and playing a key role in the development of its corporate culture for 100,000 colleagues.
Bertrand previously spent four years as Chief Digital and Chief Marketing Officer at Sainsbury’s Argos where he spearheaded the transformation from a traditional catalogue business to the third largest online retailer in the UK.
Bertrand’s previous experience includes senior roles at EMI Group, Bragster.com (which he co-founded) and Amazon, and he is currently a non-executive director of Tesco plc and Wolters Kluwer N.V.
Ross Graham, Chairman of Keywords Studios, said of the appointment: “We are delighted to have attracted a candidate of Bertrand’s calibre to lead Keywords through the next phase of its development in the video games and adjacent content industries.
“Bertrand brings an ideal skillset to leading our ambitious, international business given the breadth of his experience in shaping and executing growth strategies and engendering strong cultures at some of the world’s leading businesses.
“This expertise will be invaluable as we continue to grow across multiple territories to cement our position as the ‘go-to’ provider of scale within our industry, globally.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jon Hauck and Sonia Sedler who, as our joint interim CEOs, have ensured the business has continued to go from strength to strength, and who look forward to working closely with Bertrand when he joins.”
Bertrand Bodson, Chief Executive Officer designate of Keywords, said: “I am excited to join Keywords as a proven market-leader with a clear opportunity to continue to grow its services, reach and scale, and to capitalise on its integrated full service offering, in a global yet fragmented market.
“Building on its successful organic and acquisitive growth track record, its inclusive culture, customer focus and unique platform, I’m looking forward to leading the Group’s ambitious team to deliver an ever more compelling proposition for this buoyant market, and beyond.”
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