There’s a new chief wizard at Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast division, as lifelong fan Dan Ayoub just snagged his dream job.
Hasbro announced that Ayoub has been named president of Wizards of the Coast & Hasbro Digital Games, effective November 2nd.
Ayoub will lead Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons, Duel Masters, and Hasbro Digital Games including Exodus and Warlock. Hasbro says Ayoub was selected after a rigorous search that evaluated dozens of internal and external candidates. He is the first internal candidate ever to be promoted into the role.
“Dan has the passion and leadership caliber to take Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Digital Games into its next chapter,” said Chris Cocks, Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro. “He understands what our games mean to the people who play them and what it takes to build great teams and experiences.
“His promotion reflects one of my top priorities: developing our people. I couldn’t think of a better match to lead these businesses and I’m excited for the future with him at the helm.”
Ayoub most recently served as Senior Vice President of Dungeons & Dragons, where he led the franchise and helped revitalize the brand across tabletop and digital.
He joined Wizards of the Coast in 2022 to lead its digital studios and later served as Senior Vice President of Digital Games, growing the company’s studios and extending its partnerships around the world.
Ayoub has been making video games for 25 years and came to Hasbro with an impressive track record. Before Wizards, he spent 11 years at Microsoft, including as an executive producer and studio head at Halo studio 343 Industries, and later served as Vice President and General Manager of Certain Affinity.
Ayoub says he’s also a lifelong fan of the games he will now lead. He has played D&D with the same group of friends since he was 10, and he picked up Magic: The Gathering the year it launched.
“I’m honored to lead Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro Digital Games, and grateful to Chris and the leadership team for this opportunity,” said Ayoub. “Magic and D&D have been part of my life for as long as I can remember, and the teams behind them are among the best in the world.
“We’ll put fans first, respect the artists and creators who make these worlds come alive, and set an ambitious course for growth across tabletop and digital. I can’t wait to get started.”
The post Who’s News: “Lifelong Fan” Dan Ayoub Tapped to Lead Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast appeared first on The Licensing Letter.