NEW YORK – Social gaming giant Zynga said Thursday that it has hired Barry Cottle as executive vp, business and corporate development.
He brings to the newly public Zynga more than 20 years of experience in entertainment, technology and games with past positions at the likes of Walt Disney, where he served for nine years as senior vp of marketing at Disney Televentures and chief marketing officer of Americast, Palm and, most recently, Electronic Arts where he served as executive vp of EA Interactive.
“It’s rare that you find someone who possesses a deep operational background and also has the vision to see where your business and your industry are headed,” said Zynga founder and CEO Mark Pincus. “Barry is one of those executives, and I’m very excited to have him join the team. His skill set, combined with his deep understanding of the games, technology and entertainment spaces will help us accelerate our mission of connecting the world through games.”
Zynga shares on Thursday closed up 1.4 percent at $8.45. Since the company’s IPO in mid-December, the stock has traded between $7.97 and $11.50.
The company’s Facebook games include the likes of CityVille, Mafia Wars and FarmVille.
Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com
Twitter: @georgszalai
