Former Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Gaming executive, Cynthia Williams will become the new ceo of Funko from 20 May.
Cynthia brings nearly two decades of senior leadership to the pop culture specialist across consumer products, gaming and e-commerce industries.
During her last role she oversaw Hasbro’s portfolio of games including Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering and Monopoly, positioning the gaming division for continued success amid evolving consumer demand.
Cynthia has also held positions at Microsoft as general manager and vp, Gaming Ecosystem Commercial Team, where she drove the significant expansion of Xbox Gaming, and was also a senior executive at Amazon for over a decade.
Cynthia is also expected to join the Funko board of directors on her start date. Michael Lunsford will remain the company’s interim ceo until Cynthia arrives on 20 May.
“We thank Mike for his many contributions,” commented Charles Denson, Funko’s chairman. “Under his leadership, Funko has refocused its business on core assets, lowered its debt levels and substantially improved margins. With Funko now on a solid foundation, Cynthia will come in and drive the company to the next phase of growth and profitability. I know Cynthia is the right choice to lead Funko going forward and we know Mike and Cynthia together will ensure a seamless transition for all our stakeholders.”
Cynthia commented: “Funko has built a portfolio of valuable global brands, and I am energized about this unique opportunity to help Funko fully realise its potential. My extensive experience with the devoted fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Xbox will be highly beneficial in developing products that continue to appeal to Funko’s passionate fans, both core fans and collectors. I’m eager to work with the board, management team and our employees around the world to further strengthen our brands and deliver value to our stockholders.”
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