GameStop names Amazon executive as chief growth officer as company shakeup continues

GameStop Corp said on Tuesday it named Amazon.com Inc executive Elliott Wilke as chief growth officer, the latest top level appointment after shareholder Ryan Cohen took charge of the video game retailer’s e-commerce pivot.

The company’s shares, which were at the heart of a Reddit-driven retail trading frenzy early this year, rose nearly 5 per cent in pre-market trading.

GameStop is in the process of shifting its business away from the brick-and-mortar retailer model into an e-commerce business that can compete with large-scale retailers like Target Corp and Walmart Inc, as well as technology companies Microsoft Corp and Sony Corp.

Signaling a broader overhaul, at least two executives have recently departed – Chief Customer Officer Frank Hamlin and Chief Financial Officer Jim Bell.

Wilke, who has spent nearly seven years at Amazon and last led its Fresh Stores business, will oversee growth strategies and marketing at GameStop.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The company had hired another former Amazon executive, Jenna Owens, as Chief Operating Officer earlier this month. She had managed multi-channel fulfillment and distribution at Amazon.

This was preceded by the appointment of Matt Francis as its first ever Chief Technology Officer last month. He was also an Amazon head of the engineering team at Amazon Web Services.

5:05 ‘I like the stock:’ Keith Gill AKA ‘Roaring Kitty’ defends GameStop posts before Congress

The shakeup proliferated the company’s board as it announced the expected retirement of eight directors at its annual meeting this year.

Earlier this month, GameStop had announced the formation of a three-member committee chaired by Ryan Cohen, which is responsible for the moves leading to a re-jigging of the company’s leadership.

The company on Tuesday also named former Chewy.com executives Andrea Wolfe and Tom Peterson to lead brand development and merchandising, respectively.