Vivendi names new CEO for games unit

Vivendi Universal Publishing says it has appointed Kenneth Cron as chief executive of its games division. Cron replaces Hubert Joly, who held dual roles since December as a CEO and a senior vice president, according to Vivendi. The company said Joly would focus on his role as senior vice president of North American Integration for Vivendi. Cron was formerly CEO of Flipside Network, chairman and CEO of Uproar, and president of publishing for CMP Media. Vivendi Universal Publishing has 300 brands in 40 countries with sectors that include games, education, literature, health and information. The games division, which publishes interactive and online-based entertainment, runs four businesses--Blizzard Entertainment, the Flipside Network, Sierra and Universal Interactive Studios.