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Three top figures at Zynga leave suddenly in shakeup by new CEO

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By Noel Young, Correspondent

August 14, 2013 | 2 min read

Big changes at troubled game maker Zynga. Three top executives: chief operating officer David Ko, technology chief Cadir Lee, and chief people officer Colleen McCreary are leaving.

Zynga: Big changes

Don Mattrick, the company's new chief executive, former head of Microsoft's Xbox business, announced the changes yesterday, less than two months after he was tapped to be CEO. He replaced founder Mark Pincus, who is still chairman and chief product officer.

Zynga has had a tumultuous year, marked by "underwhelming financial results, layoffs and a painful transition to mobile," said the Wall Street Journal. During the last earnings call, Ko described Zynga's performance as "unacceptable."

Zynga didn't announce any plans to replace Ko or hire a new chief operating officer. Ko was promoted to that position only in November.

Steve Chiang, formerly the president of games, is to have a reduced role.

According to Zynga, Ko and Lee and Ms. McCreary will leave the company after this week. None of those going responded to requests for comment, said the WSJ. All three were seen as close lieutenants of Pincus.

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