AUG. 10, 2007 • Vivendi Games promoted Xochilt Balzola-Widmann lead its European retail business as executive VP and general manager. She will be responsible for expanding Vivendi’s retail footprint in all European regions. Balzola-Widmann had previously been responsible for Central Europe alone. Before joining Vivendi in 2004, she was director of European sales with Electronic Arts.

Impact: For far too long video game retail in Europe has been Balkanized with too many regional roadblocks to marketing on a continental scale. It’s healthy for the industry to see one of the major publishers taking strides to engage retailers throughout Europe.