Crunchyroll CEO Colin Decker exits following Funimation merger

Demon Slayer

Colin Decker, who became CEO of anime streamer Crunchyroll following its merger with Funimation last month, is exiting the company.

Decker, who previously headed up Funimation, leaves the role after more than three years at Sony, which acquired Funimation in 2017. He will be succeeded by Rahul Purini, the current COO of Crunchyroll, who also served in the same role at Funimation before the merger.

Sony’s Funimation group completed its $1.175bn acquisition of AT&T’s Crunchyroll service last year, bringing the two competing services under the same roof.

Crunchyroll offers subs, dubs, films, and simulcast series in over 200 countries and territories and in 10 languages. Popular titles include Attack On Titan, Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia.

Decker will remain at Crunchyroll for the next few weeks to help ensure a smooth transition as Purini steps into the role.

His exit was announced in a staff memo sent by Keith Le Goy, Sony Pictures Entertainment’s chairman of distribution and networks.

“After more than three years at Sony, Colin Decker has decided to step down from his role as CEO of Crunchyroll, having worked passionately and diligently to bring our anime business to the successful point it is today,” wrote Le Goy.

“Colin led our Funimation business to an exponential level of growth and was instrumental in forging a great relationship with our partners at Aniplex. He championed and played a key role in our acquisition of Crunchyroll and has successfully led the integration of the two businesses, unifying them under the Crunchyroll brand.”