Nexon said on Thursday it appointed Patrick Soderlund (패트릭 쇠더룬드) as executive chairman of the company through a board resolution, effective immediately.

Soderlund has spent more than 20 years in the games industry and is the founder and chief executive officer of Embark Studios, the developer of global hit title "Arc Raiders". Before founding Embark Studios, he served as executive vice president of Worldwide Studios at Electronic Arts. Earlier, he also served as CEO of Digital Illusions CE (DICE). DICE developed multiple successful game franchises including "Battlefield" and "Mirror's Edge" until EA acquired it in 2006.

Soderlund joined Nexon's board in 2018. Nexon said he will oversee a wide range of areas including its long-term strategy, creative direction and global game development approach, and will work closely with management including CEO Lee Jung-heon (이정헌) to drive the company's future growth. Under this structure, Lee will carry out the strategic direction set by Soderlund.

Nexon also said Soderlund will continue to serve as CEO of Embark Studios.

Soderlund said, "Nexon has all the assets for explosive growth." He said those include "talented people, iconic franchises, a strong user community and industry-leading live service capabilities." He also stressed, "Lee and I have reached a shared understanding for the company's advancement, and we are ready to begin tasks immediately."

Lee said, "Chairman Patrick Soderlund and I are perfectly aligned with the goal of innovation at Nexon." He said, "Chairman Soderlund is a proven leader who has established development studios, gathered top talent and created global hit titles, and his capabilities and experience are exactly what Nexon needs now."

Lee and Soderlund are expected to share more specific details on Nexon's strategic priorities through a Capital Market Briefing (CMB) to be held on March 31.