In a rather startling turn of events, Zynga has announced yet another acquisition straight from EA. Barry Cottle, who was executive vice president of EA Interactive, is now taking charge at Zynga as executive vice president of business and corporate development. This is the latest in a string of hirings directly from rival EA.
"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 Mark Pincus, Founder and CEO of Zynga. "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. On a personal level, Barry is a great person who brings humility and curiosity, and I'm confident he will fit in well with Zynga’s culture.”
“I’m proud and thrilled to join the Zynga team, the pioneer and driving force behind the social games industry,” said Cottle. “I’m looking forward to being part of building play for the world in a way that truly connects people and delights players everywhere, each and every day.”
“Barry’s understanding of the intersection that connects technology, games and entertainment is unmatched,” said former EA number two man John Schappert, Chief Operating Officer of Zynga. “His tenure and background is unparalleled; I’ve always admired his ability to grow businesses and inspire teams. I’m proud to say he’s a colleague again.”
Zynga’s acquisition of Cottle seems slightly out of place, given the rather lackluster market response the company had since its IPO late last year. The company saw a less than stellar first month as a publicly traded company. Regardless, Cottle joins Schappert, Phil Frazier, Mark Turmell, and others as former EA employees who left for Zynga.
