Deals

Kleiner Perkins hires video game pioneer

The chief creative officer of Electronic Arts, Bing Gordon, will join the Silicon Valley firm that helped launch the gaming company 25 years ago.

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William “Bing” Gordon, chief creative officer of computer and video game company Electronic Arts, will depart the post he has held for 10 years to join venture powerhouse Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers.

Redwood City, California-based Electronic Arts, founded in May 1982, has had a relationship with Kleiner Perkins since December 1982 when the company secured $2 million in funding from a group of venture capital firms including Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital and Sevin Rosen Funds.

William “Bing”
Gordon

Beginning in June, Gordon will be a partner providing insight and expertise in the areas of consumer technologies and virtual gaming.

Kleiner Perkins partner John Doerr called Gordon’s experience “invaluable for innovators in mobility, social networks, gaming and entertainment – indeed, in any area that interacts directly with consumers”, in a statement.

Gordon was a founding employee of EA when he joined the fledgling company’s marketing department in 1982. Since that time, he has held posts including executive vice president of marketing, executive vice president of EA studios and senior vice president of entertainment production before rising to the role of CCO.

As CCO, Gordon was responsible for EA’s creative products and oversight of the company’s studios. During his tenure he was involved with the creation of such successful video game franchises as Madden NFL, The Sims and Need for Speed. He will remain on as EA’s chief creative officer emeritus and lead periodic innovation workshops with company executives.

Gordon is not the first EA executive to leave the company for venture capital. EA president John Riccitello resigned in 2004 to co-found private equity firm Elevation Partners in concert with Silver Lake co-founder Roger McNamee. After leveraging his experience in the videogame industry to help Elevation secure deals in that area, including its debut transaction in November 2005, Ricitiello departed Elevation in May 2007 to return to EA as chief executive officer.