Dolby Laboratories Appoints Marc Whitten as New CEO, Kevin Yeaman Steps Down

Dolby Laboratories, a global leader in audio and video technology, has named Marc Whitten as its next President and Chief Executive Officer. Whitten, a seasoned technology professional with extensive experience at Meta, Amazon, and Xbox, will take over from Kevin Yeaman, who is stepping down after 17 years of dedicated service. This strategic appointment is the culmination of a well-considered, long-term succession plan, with Yeaman transitioning to an advisory capacity to support the leadership transition.

The selection of Marc Whitten underscores Dolby's commitment to continued innovation and growth. Peter Gotcher, Chairman of the Dolby Laboratories board, highlighted Whitten's exceptional qualifications, stating, "Marc brings a blend of visionary product leadership, profound technological insight, and a proven track record of successful leadership. He has consistently built and expanded businesses that define their categories across various industries, guided global organizations through significant periods of change, and forged impactful technologies, platforms, and collaborations that foster sustainable growth. We are enthusiastic about him leading Dolby into its next phase of development."

Whitten's distinguished career prior to joining Dolby includes his most recent role as Vice President of Robotics at Meta. Before that, he served as Vice President of Entertainment Devices and Services at Amazon, where he played a pivotal role in the development of popular product lines such as Alexa, Kindle, and Fire TV. His career also features a significant 17-year tenure at Microsoft, where he held the position of Corporate Vice President and Chief Product Officer for Xbox. Additionally, Whitten has held executive leadership roles as CEO of Cruise, President of Unity Create, and Chief Product Officer of Sonos, demonstrating his diverse leadership capabilities across various technology sectors.

Expressing his enthusiasm for his new role, Marc Whitten remarked, "For decades, Dolby has set the global benchmark for how individuals experience both sound and vision. I firmly believe that the company's most significant opportunities are still on the horizon. As the landscape of content, platforms, and technological advancements continues to evolve, Dolby is uniquely positioned to enhance its relevance for creators, partners, and consumers alike. I am incredibly eager to build upon Dolby's robust foundation and collaborate with the talented teams to drive innovation and shape the company's next chapter."

Kevin Yeaman's tenure as CEO, which began in 2009 after he joined Dolby as CFO in 2005, has been marked by significant achievements. Gotcher extended his gratitude to Yeaman, acknowledging his profound impact: "Kevin's foresight, operational rigor, and unwavering dedication to innovation have profoundly shaped Dolby into the company it is today. Through his continuous efforts to bring new innovations to life, he substantially expanded the company's reach and spearheaded the era of immersive audio and visual experiences." Yeaman, in a statement released by the company, expressed his pride in leading Dolby through transformative periods in technology and entertainment, emphasizing the collective effort that brought Dolby to billions of people worldwide. He conveyed his full confidence in Whitten and the team to propel the company forward.

David Dolby, a director on the Dolby Laboratories board and son of the company's founder, Ray Dolby, also shared his perspective. He noted that the inventor's culture, deeply embedded by Ray Dolby, has been a driving force for over six decades, with each generation of leadership expanding the company's possibilities. He offered his thanks to Kevin for his many contributions and voiced the board's confidence in Marc's leadership for the future of the organization.

The change in leadership at Dolby Laboratories signals a new era for the renowned technology company. With Marc Whitten at the helm, the company aims to leverage his extensive experience in product vision and technological innovation to further enhance immersive audio and visual experiences globally, building on the legacy established by Kevin Yeaman and Ray Dolby.