THQ exec tapped to lead EA's Tiburon studio

One of THQ's top executives, Philip Holt, has taken a job with Electronic Arts.

As vice president of product development at THQ, Holt was in charge of that publisher's growing lineup of studio operations. For EA, his portfolio will be narrower in scope: Holt will hunker down as COO of Electronic Arts' Florida operation, which is well known for pumping out annual iterations of Madden (known this year as Madden NFL 06).

The Sentinel's Susan Strother Clarke refers to an earlier connection between EA and Holt: It seems Holt's parents started a game concern in the '80s, which they later sold to EA. The operation became the now-defunct EA Seattle studio. Reportedly, Holt spent time at the operation after EA completed the acquisition.

Holt replaces former COO Ben Noel. Noel left the EA organization to run the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy at the University of Central Florida. Holt will report to Tiburon general manager Steve Chiang.

According to one EA staffer at HQ in Redwood Shores, California, "We're excited to have Philip back at EA."