Atari owner, Infogrames has parted ways with its chairman and CEO Patrick Leleu. He is being replaced by former EA Europe managing director, David Gardner (OBE).

The last time we heard from Leleu, he was making all sorts of announcements regarding both Atari and Infogrames to French newspaper, Le Echos.

Gardner's role is to be one of 'rejuvenation', "In addition to relaunching the publishing initiatives and optimizing Infogrames’ global distribution network as announced, Mr. Gardner will focus on implementing a new brand and online vision for the Group, key success factors for a worldwide leader in the video game entertainment sector.

This transformative process will include rejuvenating the Atari brand name by building an online platform for distribution and gaming, assembling a world-class management team and restoring Group profitability through selective cost-cutting measures".

So far, so believable... and then we have to nose-dive into flannel and Gardner is quoted as saying, "I had a dream to work for Atari when I played Star Raiders in 1979. When you form such a powerful emotional relationship with a brand it can stay with you for your entire life. My goal is to help rebuild that passion around the company. First, with the employees and then very quickly to spread it virally on the Internet to millions of new customers".

This does beg the question, therefore, as to why Gardner didn't in fact go and work for Atari back in say 1983 instead of going to Electronic Arts? But that's all water under the bridge... and, as it turned out, a good decision on the part of Gardner.

Replacing Leleu as chairman of the board will be 'entrepreneur', Michel Combes. Unlike Gardner who, no matter the blather, does have a long and distinguished video game pedigree, Combes comes with no such lineage, having worked in telecoms, television and industrial engineering among other areas.

The new board now consists of:

Mr. Michel Combes, Chairman
Mr. Dominique D'Hinnin, Vice-Chairman
Mr. David Gardner, CEO
Mr. Didier Lamouche, Independent Director
Mrs. Gina Germano, Director
Mr. Evence-Charles Coppée, Director
Mr. Benoit Regnault de Maulmin, Advisor
BlueBay, represented by Mr. Jeffrey Lapin
BlueBay, represented by Mr. Eli Muraidekh

BlueBay? Yes, that famously games-focused... asset management company which has had two seats on the board since January 2006, and which is the majority shareholder in Infogrames.