Cryptozoic Entertainment has appointed a new CEO to replace co-founder John Nee, who’s going to continue in key roles at related companies, the company announced. The new CEO is Shahriar Fouladi, who’s been at Cryptozoic since 2014 (with a short interregnum), most recently as Vice President – Product and Marketing. He has a Ph.D. in Visual Studies, and a prior career as an author and lecturer on superheroes, film, and television.
Nee took the CEO role in May 2023, when then-CEO (and co-founder) John Sepunuk passed away unexpectedly (see “R.I.P. John Sepunuk“). He will continue as CEO of Pan-Universal Galactic Worldwide (see “PUG-W“) and Chief Business Officer at CCG Lab.
“When I arrived at Cryptozoic 11 years ago, I was looking for a new career path, and John Nee put his trust in me from day one,” new CEO Fouladi said in a statement accompanying the announcement. “I’ll always be grateful to John, Cory Jones, John Sepenuk, and my late friend Matt Hoffman for their mentorship; they shaped how I see this company. I’m a pop culture fan through and through, and that energy will always define Cryptozoic.”
Outgoing CEO Nee endorsed Fouladi in his new role. “Shahriar’s journey is remarkable,” he said. “He learned every corner of the business, treated people with respect, and never lost sight of the fans. He’s earned this role, and I have total confidence in his vision for the future.”
“Through every industry and company challenge, Shahriar has been the calm in the storm,” Cryptozoic co-founder and Chief Creative Officer Cory Jones said. “He makes smart calls, weighs the facts, and never stops pushing to make our products the best for fans.”
In addition to its longstanding presence in licensed games and trading cards, Cryptozoic has recently been expanding into other categories, including RPGs (see “Cryptozoic Conjures ‘Cats of Catthulhu’“) and party games (see “Decipher Resurfaces via Cryptozoic“).
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