Zynga poaches EAi executive Barry Cottle to serve as corporate development lead

Barry Cottle, former executive VP and general manager at EA Interactive, has jumped ship to join social game specialist Zynga to serve as its new executive VP of business and corporate development.

Cottle isn't the first EA executive to make the leap from EA to Zynga: he'll be reporting to current Zynga COO John Schappert, who also joined from the Redwood-based publisher.

Brain of two halfs

Naturally, Zynga is keen to talk up Cottle's 20 years of experience across the entertainment and technology field, having earned his stripes at the likes of Palm and Disney.

In more recent times, he also overlooked EA's acquisitions in the mobile field, including the buyouts of Firemint and Bight Games.

"Barry embodies a right brain, left brain approach the art and iron that's helped make Zynga what it is today," said Zynga co-founder and CEO Mark Pincus on the Zynga blog.

"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."

[source: Zynga]