CrowdStar CEO Steps Down; Peter Relan Appointed CEO

CrowdStar, a social gaming company that competes with Zynga, Disney’s Playdom and Electronic Arts’ Playfish, has appointed Executive Chairman Peter Relan to the position of CEO. He succeeds Niren Hiro, who is stepping down after less than a year. VentureBeat reports that it is an amicable parting, although the two share different opinions on how to scale the business. CrowdStar, which has funded its growth through its own revenues, expects to double its headcount from its current 75 over the next year. It operates game titles on Facebook such as Zoo Paradise, Happy Aquarium and It Girl.