Owen Van Natta

CEO
MySpace

Owen Van Natta just got to the huge social networking site, so we can't start blaming him for its troubles for at least another week, even though he is responsible for all aspects of MySpace's strategic vision and execution of its global business initiatives. Before MySpace, he was CEO of Project Playlist, a music sharing Web site allowing users to search for music, create custom playlists share the content with friends, which is also embroiled in litigation with some music labels. Before that, Van Natta was a top and early executive at MySpace rival, Facebook, where he focused on revenue operations, business development, and strategic partnerships. And, before that, he managed global marketing programs and strategic partnerships at Amazon. In other words, Van Natta has had a lot of Internet jobs.

Posts With Owen Van Natta

“Luminary” Access Site IfOnly Officially Launches With $3M in Funding From Tech Luminaries

Delivering the A-List to the masses?

Kleiner’s Doerr Joins Zynga Board of Directors

The legendary Valley VC will soon advise the struggling social gaming giant.

Hasta La Vista, Stock Options: Here’s the Zynga SEC Filing

Read on about the deets of the doings at the social gaming site.

Exclusive: Zynga’s Van Natta Moves to Strategic Adviser; Feld Off Board, Paul In

Big changes at the online social gaming phenom as it gets ready to go public.

Revenge Is a Dish Best Served Via a Cool IPO: The Delicious Irony of Myspace, Zynga and Owen Van Natta

How’s this for irony: It was less than a year and a half ago that Owen Van Natta was ousted from his job as CEO of Myspace. But last week — just as the failed social networking site sold for a paltry $35 million — Van Natta could have bought it himself for a fraction of his stake in Zynga, the social gaming phenom that just filed for its IPO and where he’s a top exec and shareholder.

Is There a Myspace Mafia, Too? Because Leaving Seems to Have Paid Off for Many Ex-Execs.

When the selling of Myspace winds down in the next week or so, it’ll probably attract a spate of comments about what a failure the whole social networking enterprise turned out to be. That is, unless you think of the mob of former execs who have worked at the company over time, many of whom have moved on to some more golden opportunities after leaving Myspace.

Zynga Appoints DreamWorks CEO to Board, But No ShrekVille in the Works

Zynga is beefing up its board of directors by announcing today that it has added Jeffrey Katzenberg, the CEO and co-founder of DreamWorks Animation.

Wanted: Groupon COO. Must Like Cat-Wrangling, Lack of Spotlight and International Travel (Post-Samwer)

Of all the many job openings in tech, perhaps the most interesting to watch will be who Groupon selects as its next COO, after the recent announcement that it was parting ways with President and COO Rob Solomon. Requirements for running the Chicago-based social buying site: epic cat-wrangling of thousands of employees in far-flung locations; deep marketing and advertising prowess; high-level technology, product, mobile and e-commerce chops; and international experience. Also, please stand in the shadows.

Early Facebook Technical Operations Director Leaves Company

Facebook Director of Operations Brian Walsh left the company last week after a 4.5 year stint.