MARK PINCUS
Founder and CEO, Zynga
Mark Pincus is a social gaming pioneer and leading Internet entrepreneur, having founded and established four
successful companies including Zynga, the world’s largest social games provider. Mr. Pincus founded Zynga
in 2007 and has grown the company to a team of more than 900, with many of Zynga’s games having earned
millions of fans and become worldwide hits. In 2009, Mr. Pincus started Zynga.org to transform the world through
virtual social goods. To date, Zynga.org has raised more than $5 million for several international nonprofits,
including Haiti-based charities and the San Francisco SPCA. Before founding Zynga, Mr. Pincus founded
Tribe Networks, one of the first online communities and social networking sites. In 2007, Cisco purchased the
company’s core assets to provide an initial platform for its digital media services group. Mr. Pincus previously co-founded SupportSoft, Inc., served as chairman and CEO, and led the company through its successful IPO. His initial
Internet success came with Freeloader, the first web-based consumer push information service.
JAMES A. PITARO
Vice President, Media, Yahoo! Inc.
James Pitaro is responsible for Yahoo’s portfolio of media businesses, which reach more than 70 million unique
visitors per month. As vice president, media, he oversees the editorial, programming, content, and regional
business strategies for the company’s No. 1 sites in the finance, sports, news, and entertainment (movies,
TV, music, omg, games, Shine) categories. He has also overseen the development and growth of the web’s
most successful original video content, including “Yahoo Sports Minute” and “Primetime in No Time.” In 2006,
Mr. Pitaro became vice president and general manager of Yahoo Sports, where he was credited with leading
the entity to its current position as the No. 1 online sports destination. He previously was vice president and
head of business affairs for Yahoo Music. Mr. Pitaro joined Yahoo in 2001 with the company’s acquisition of
Launch Media. Earlier he served as an associate at law firms in New York City, where he focused on commercial
litigation and media and entertainment transactions.
JOHN PLEASANTS
Chief Executive Officer, Playdom
John Pleasants, before taking the helm at Playdom, served as president of publishing and COO of Electronic
Arts (EA), where he oversaw global operations for the $4 billion gaming company and led its consumer-facing
businesses, including EA Mobile, Pogo, EA.com, global online gaming, and Rupture. In addition, Mr. Pleasants
drove a push to move EA from a software to a services model, and spearheaded the company’s expansion into
social gaming. Before joining EA, he served as president and CEO of Revolution Health and CEO of Ticketmaster,
the world’s leading live event ticketing company. During his tenure at Ticketmaster/InterActiveCorp (IAC),
he also oversaw several leading online entities, including Evite.com, Match.com, CitySearch.com, and
ReserveAmerica.com. Mr. Pleasants is a director of the Artists Den, a music production and promotion
company, and previously served on the boards of Expedia.com, Active.com, Fastclick, Going.com, and Extend
Health. He earned a BA degree from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard University.
DAVID F. POLTRACK
Chief Research Officer, CBS Corp.
President, CBS Vision
David Poltrack is chief research officer, CBS Corp., and president of CBS Vision. He oversees all research
operations at CBS. He designed and oversees Television City at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, CBS’ state-of-the-art
research center. CBS Vision is a research unit exploring and offering insight on emerging technologies, media
consumption, and advertising value in the media marketplace. Mr. Poltrack is past chairman, Media Rating
Council; executive committee trustee, Marketing Science Institute; past president, Market Research Council,
and in 2009 was inducted into their Hall of Fame; and past chairman and current board member, Advertising
Research Foundation. He is an adjunct professor at NYU’s business and communication schools and Columbia
University’s Graduate School of Business, as well as visiting professor at Cheung Kong Graduate School of
Business, Beijing, China. Author of Television Marketing: Network, Local, and Cable, he holds degrees from the
University of Notre Dame and NYU.
