The head of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, will remain in the role of Chief Executive Officer until the end of 2023

Head of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick, will remain the Chief Executive Officer of the company until the end of 2023, and he will report to Microsoft's head of gaming, Phil Spencer.

In an email addressed to Activision Blizzard employees, Kotick emphasized his full commitment to assisting in the transition. "Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players."

Kotick, who served as the CEO of Activision from February 1991 until July 2008, assumed the position of CEO of Activision Blizzard following the merger of Activision and Vivendi Games.

He is the sole executive at Activision Blizzard with change-of-control protection, which guarantees him financial compensation if he's replaced after a company takeover.

As a major shareholder, Kotick stands to make hundreds of millions of dollars from this deal. He is also entitled to severance in case of contract termination or under various circumstances within a year of a change of control in the company.

Despite his contributions to achieving significant commercial success for Activision Blizzard, Kotick's and the company's reputation have suffered in recent years due to several scandals, including allegations of ignoring or attempting to downplay instances of sexual harassment and gender discrimination.