US video games industry body the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has named Stan McCoy as its general counsel, replacing Gina Vetere who stepped down in January.
McCoy spent the last five months as a non-resident senior fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), though he previously spent a decade as president of the Motion Picture Association.
At ESA, he will lead the organisation’s legal, regulatory, policy, IP and security teams, including matters related to compliance, enforcement, litigation and contractual work. He will report directly to ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis.
Washington DC-based ESA has been acting as the voice for the US video games industry since 1994.
Pierre-Louis said: “In an industry that depends on the protection of intellectual property to fuel future creativity and innovation, Stan’s experience in government and industry is an immense asset to ESA. Stan will undoubtedly bolster our ability to strengthen the power of the US video game industry here and abroad, and we look forward to his leadership in driving key functions of the ESA.”
Prior to his time at ITIF and the Motion Picture Association, McCoy spent 11 years at the Office of the US Trade Representative, six of those as assistant US trade representative for IP and innovation, among other roles including associate GC. Prior to that he spent five years in private practice at Covington & Burling in Washington DC and Brussels.
He said: “For over three decades, the ESA has defended the video game industry and created a favourable regulatory environment where games could flourish into a $59.3bn industry in the US alone. I look forward to working with the ESA team, our member companies, policymakers and partners around the world in our ongoing work to protect the innovative marketplace for video games and ensure that everyone can experience the power of play.”
Vetere, meantime, exited the organisation earlier in the year after just over five years. She was previously of counsel at Covington & Burling and like McCoy was at the Office of the US Trade Representative as director of IP and innovation. She also had a three-year spell at the US Chamber of Commerce as executive director for international IP. She started her legal career in private practice at DLA Piper.
Last June, video games giant Activision Blizzard saw its chief legal officer Grant Dixon depart for General Motors following Activision’s acquisition by Microsoft, which was completed in October 2023.
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