Andrew Wilson
Executive vice president/head of EA Sports, Electronic Arts Inc.
Age: 38
One year after filling the shoes of video-game industry legend Peter Moore, Andrew Wilson has strengthened EA Sports’ position as a leading global sports entertainment brand. Wilson has spearheaded innovations that fundamentally change the way people experience sports games and connect to the real world of sports. He leads the brand, from product development to global marketing for the division, which makes sports games including Madden NFL, FIFA Soccer and NBA Live franchises. Under Wilson’s guidance, EA has achieved record-breaking first-week sales for Madden NFL 13, NCAA Football 12, NHL 13, FIFA Soccer 13 and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 12. In 2012, EA sports fans played more than 3.6 billion online gaming sessions, and more than 25 million registered gamers have played 12 million sessions a day. Fast Company recently included Wilson among business innovators who “dare to think differently.”
Where were you born? Australia
Where did you grow up? Gold Coast, Queensland and Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Marital status: Married
Children: Daughter (9-months-old)
Pets: None
Accolades: Ranked 30th on influential gaming site Kotaku’s Power 40; Ranked 40th on Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business
Favorite gadget: Garmin 910xt
Word that best describes you: Passionate
Favorite stress release: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, surfing
Where we’d most likely find you after hours: Training (Jiu-Jitsu, triathlon) or with my family
Guilty pleasure: Japanese whiskey
Superpower you’d like to have: To see the future.
Next big career goal: Establish EA Sports as the single consistent strand of DNA in every sports fan’s life.
Something about you that would surprise others: I have a guitar collection that far exceeds my playing ability … by a wide margin.
Favorite causes: Surfrider Foundation, Greenpeace
Favorite job perk: Attending live sporting events across the globe
Fantasy career: Rock star
Best advice ever heard: The harder you work, the luckier you get.
Biggest whoops: Forgetting to wait for the glass to cool down before drinking a flaming sambuca shot.
Favorite car: Right now, Aston Martin Vanquish
Favorite movie: Homeland. It is all about TV now
Favorite website: At the moment, uncrate.com