Owen Van Natta
Encyclopedia
Owen Van Natta is currently the Executive Vice President of Business at Zynga
, an internet company that makes online social games. In this position, Van Natta is responsible for the company’s revenue strategy, corporate development, international expansion and brand. Prior to officially joining Zynga, Van Natta consulted for the company across a number of critical business functions. He is also a member of the Zynga Board of Directors.
, Facebook
, Project Playlist and Myspace
. Van Natta holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Santa Cruz
.
, where he managed global marketing programs and strategic partnerships. He was part of the founding team of A9.com, the Amazon.com search company, and was responsible for site operations and sponsored-link advertising.
Van Natta became the Chief Operating Officer at Facebook
, where he focused on revenue operations, business development, and strategic partnerships from September 2005 to February 2008. At the time of his departure, his title was Chief Revenue Officer.
Van Natta then went on to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Project Playlist in 2008, a music sharing website allowing users to search for music, create custom playlists, and share the content with friends.
In April 2009, Van Natta became Chief Executive Officer of MySpace
, where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s strategic vision and the execution of its global business initiatives. Van Natta created new features as a part of his refocusing of strategy, and tried to move MySpace from a social networking platform to an entertainment content distribution platform. At the end of 2009, News Corp's Fox Interactive Media business posted revenue of $226 million and profits of $7 million, the vast majority of it from MySpace. After spending ten months in his position, he stepped down and joined Zynga
in February 2010.
, Michael Luxton, Eric Schiermeyer, Justin Waldron, Andrew Trader, and Steve Schoettler. Zynga is a network of gaming applications built off of classic games like Poker, Battleship, and Attack!. The games are found on social networks including Facebook and Bebo. Zynga currently boasts over 225 million monthly active users across its network of games which include FarmVille
, FrontierVille
, Mafia Wars
, Zynga Poker, Café World, Treasure Isle
, YoVille, FishVille
, and PetVille.
In addition to making their own games, Zynga has created a network which allows third party developers to become part of the Zynga network. Zynga claims to be the largest social game network on the web.
Zynga
Zynga is a social network game developer located in San Francisco, United States. The company develops browser-based games that work both stand-alone and as application widgets on social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace....
, an internet company that makes online social games. In this position, Van Natta is responsible for the company’s revenue strategy, corporate development, international expansion and brand. Prior to officially joining Zynga, Van Natta consulted for the company across a number of critical business functions. He is also a member of the Zynga Board of Directors.
Background
Van Natta has held notable positions in various media companies, including Amazon.comAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, Project Playlist and Myspace
Myspace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
. Van Natta holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
The University of California, Santa Cruz, also known as UC Santa Cruz or UCSC, is a public, collegiate university; one of ten campuses in the University of California...
.
Career
From June 1998 to August 2005, Van Natta was Vice President of Worldwide Business and Corporate Development at Amazon.comAmazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
, where he managed global marketing programs and strategic partnerships. He was part of the founding team of A9.com, the Amazon.com search company, and was responsible for site operations and sponsored-link advertising.
Van Natta became the Chief Operating Officer at Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
, where he focused on revenue operations, business development, and strategic partnerships from September 2005 to February 2008. At the time of his departure, his title was Chief Revenue Officer.
Van Natta then went on to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Project Playlist in 2008, a music sharing website allowing users to search for music, create custom playlists, and share the content with friends.
In April 2009, Van Natta became Chief Executive Officer of MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, where he was responsible for all aspects of the company’s strategic vision and the execution of its global business initiatives. Van Natta created new features as a part of his refocusing of strategy, and tried to move MySpace from a social networking platform to an entertainment content distribution platform. At the end of 2009, News Corp's Fox Interactive Media business posted revenue of $226 million and profits of $7 million, the vast majority of it from MySpace. After spending ten months in his position, he stepped down and joined Zynga
Zynga
Zynga is a social network game developer located in San Francisco, United States. The company develops browser-based games that work both stand-alone and as application widgets on social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace....
in February 2010.
Zynga
Zynga was founded in July 2007 by Mark PincusMark Pincus
Mark Jonathan Pincus is an Internet entrepreneur best known as the co-founder of Zynga, which makes online social games. Pincus also founded Freeloader, Inc., Tribe Networks, and SupportSoft. Pincus currently serves as CEO of Zynga, which had 232 million monthly active users as of July 1, 2011...
, Michael Luxton, Eric Schiermeyer, Justin Waldron, Andrew Trader, and Steve Schoettler. Zynga is a network of gaming applications built off of classic games like Poker, Battleship, and Attack!. The games are found on social networks including Facebook and Bebo. Zynga currently boasts over 225 million monthly active users across its network of games which include FarmVille
FarmVille
FarmVille is a farming simulation social network game developed by Zynga in 2009. It is similar to Happy Farm, Farm Town,, and older games such as the Harvest Moon series...
, FrontierVille
FrontierVille
The Pioneer Trail, formerly known as FrontierVille is a simulation, role-playing video game available for play on social networking sites such as Facebook. It is developed by Zynga and was launched on June 9, 2010...
, Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars
Mafia Wars is a multiplayer Social network game created by Zynga.In Mafia Wars the gamers play as gangsters building their own mafia. The players fight other players online and complete tasks to gain rewards and strength in the game. The game is a freemium game, meaning it is free to play normally...
, Zynga Poker, Café World, Treasure Isle
Treasure Isle (Zynga game)
Treasure Isle is a browser-based video game by Zynga for Facebook, launched in April 2010. It allows users to dig for treasure on various islands.- Game Play :...
, YoVille, FishVille
FishVille
FishVille is a real-time aquarium simulation game developed by Zynga, available as an application on the social-networking website Facebook. The game allows members of Facebook to manage virtual aquariums by rearing fish...
, and PetVille.
In addition to making their own games, Zynga has created a network which allows third party developers to become part of the Zynga network. Zynga claims to be the largest social game network on the web.