SANTA MONICA (BLOOMBERG) - Video game publisher Activision Blizzard chief executive Bobby Kotick said he will not stand for re-election to the Coca-Cola board.

Mr Kotick said in a statement last Friday (March 4) that he is stepping down from the board after 10 years to focus his full attention on Activision's pending acquisition by Microsoft. That deal, valued at almost US$70 billion (S$95 billion), is expected to close next year.

Mr Kotick's long tenure at the helm of the video game company has been marked by employee complaints of sexism, a hostile work culture and mismanagement of assault claims.

He came under pressure to resign last fall after reports that he failed to make the Activision board aware of allegations of rape and other serious misconduct.