Dolby Laboratories is preparing for a major leadership transition, with Kevin Yeaman retiring after 17 years as CEO. He will be succeeded by veteran technology executive Marc Whitten, who has been named President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of Dolby’s Board of Directors. Yeaman will remain as an advisor during the transition.

Yeaman joined Dolby as Chief Financial Officer in 2005 and became CEO in 2009. His tenure coincided with the company’s expansion beyond its traditional audio roots, including the growth of Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and Dolby Cinema into major consumer and theatrical brands. Dolby Chairman Peter Gotcher credited Yeaman with helping lead the company through “the era of immersive audio and visual experiences.”

Whitten arrives with a very different résumé. Over more than three decades he has held senior roles at Microsoft, Amazon, Sonos, Unity, Cruise and Meta, working across entertainment, gaming, artificial intelligence and consumer technology. Among the products he helped develop or scale are Xbox, Xbox Live, Alexa, Kindle and Fire TV.

“Dolby has set the standard for how people experience sight and sound for decades and I believe the company’s greatest opportunities are still ahead,” Whitten said, pointing to the evolution of content, platforms and technology as opportunities to expand Dolby’s relevance.

For the cinema industry, the change is worth watching. Dolby remains one of theatrical exhibition’s most influential technology companies through Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and Dolby Cinema, but its business increasingly extends far beyond the auditorium. Cinema also serves as a highly visible showcase for technologies whose commercial reach stretches across streaming platforms, televisions, mobile devices and other consumer products.

After 17 years under Yeaman, the question is not whether Dolby will remain important to cinemas, but how important cinemas will remain to Dolby as Whitten shapes its next generation of technology and growth.