Disney Interactive co-president John Pleasants resigns
John Pleasants has left his post as co-president of Disney Interactive, the New York Times reports.
"It was a collaborative decision to do what's right for the business at a time when we have clear momentum," Pleasants said of the decision. "It's complicated to have co-presidents. It doesn't seem to make sense as a long-term strategy."
"I will tell you that it's a bit of a mixed thing for me," added Pleasants. "I would have also been happy to stay on. I would be misleading you if I said I wanted to leave."
Pleasants' responsibilities will now be shouldered by Jimmy Pitaro, the other co-president installed alongside Pleasants in 2010. During their co-tenure, Pitaro largely focused on Disney's official web presence, while Pleasants headed the gaming side of things, most notably the launch and promotion of the company's kid-friendly sandbox game Disney Infinity.
Despite his desire to stay on with Disney, Pleasants leaves the company in a good position. He claims that during his tenure, Disney's mobile gaming division flourished, and that while the company reported losses of $300 million the year Pleasants and Pitaro were hired on, Disney Interactive's most recent financial reports show a $16 million profit, largely due to strong sales of Disney Infinity.
