Former WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar Joins Roblox’s Board – Jason Kilar, the former CEO of WarnerMedia, has recently been appointed to the board of directors at the online gaming platform company, Roblox, effective from September 13. This appointment reflects Roblox’s ambition to expand beyond gaming into a broader entertainment platform.
Kilar, known for his extensive leadership in the media and entertainment industry, brings his experience to join board chairman and Roblox CEO David Baszucki, lead independent director Anthony P. Lee, and other board members, including Gregory Baszucki, Christopher Carvalho, Gina Mastantuono, and Andrea Wong. Kilar, who co-founded and led Vessel and Hulu, and served on the board of DreamWorks Animation, currently holds positions on the boards of Wealthfront Inc. and Opendoor Technologies Inc.
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He holds a BA in journalism and business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MBA from Harvard Business School, according to Roblox’s announcement. This addition comes at a time when Roblox’s user base is maturing, prompting the company to cater to its older demographic by introducing new experiences.
Roblox’s plans include avatar-based voice calls for users aged 17 and up, leveraging generative AI tools for avatar and clothing customization, and expanding into the VR space with its Meta Quest VR app. With 66 million daily active users, Roblox is striving to serve its above-17 audience by creating virtual worlds that offer more mature content, including elements of violence, romance, crude humor, gambling, and alcohol.
This strategic shift suggests Roblox is evolving into more of a media and entertainment business, complementing its existing kid-friendly games. Kilar’s background could prove valuable in these pursuits, addressing both the opportunities and complexities that come with serving diverse audience segments on a unified platform. “Jason Kilar is a well-respected leader in the entertainment and media industry, and his experience in the space is of value to the Board as Roblox continues to scale globally,” said Roblox CEO David Baszucki, in a statement.
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“I am honored to join Roblox, a company I have long admired and cheered from afar as they leaned into the future,” noted Jason Kilar. “Roblox is changing the way people come together and changing how creators can create delightful experiences for them. I am excited to join the board and do all I can to help bring Roblox’s vision to life.” On X, Kilar’s news solicited a number of congratulations, including from analysts, investors and media, as well as Spotify CEO Daniel Ek, who dubbed the move “A great combo!”