PLAYSTUDIOS founder and chief executive officer Andrew Pascal announced the appointment of Mickey Sonnino as PLAYSTUDIOS chief operating officer. As part of a global management team she will be based in Tel Aviv, Israel, and report directly to Pascal.
“Mickey Sonnino’s breadth and depth of experience in both gaming and consumer marketing will bolster our company’s operating performance and further establish PLAYSTUDIOS as an innovator in the gaming industry. Her background and sensibilities make her ideally suited to further advance our unique position as the leaders in rewarded play,” said Pascal.
As a member of a globally based leadership team, Sonnino will have operational responsibility for studios in the Americas, Middle East, Europe, and Asia.
PLAYSTUDIOS is the developer and publisher of a diverse portfolio of free to play casual games, including the most enduring name in gaming, Tetris; the highly regarded myVEGAS suite of casino-style games featuring founding partner MGM’s properties on the famed Las Vegas Strip; and casual game leaders like Solitaire, Spider Solitaire and Sudoku.
Sonnino brings more than 20 years of experience in marketing across sectors and for some of the world’s biggest brands. Most recently, Sonnino served as a member of the Playtika Management Team in her role as senior vice president of strategic communications for Playtika Holding Corp in Tel Aviv. Prior to this role, Sonnino was vice president of monetisation and subsequently Slotomania general manager for, one of Playtika’s leading games.
Sonnino brings a global perspective shaped by her experience working across regions and industries. In her earlier career, Sonnino developed brand strategy for Revlon’s Almay brand in New York City, before taking over European brand marketing for over 400 beauty tool SKUs in the company’s London office. Prior to that, Sonnino served in positions of increasing responsibility within Bristol Myers Squibb, the global pharmaceutical company based in New Jersey.
“The playAWARDS platform is an innovative player retention tool for the gaming industry and offers Rewards Partners access to a highly motivated and unusually focused audience of players who in turn can enjoy rewards from some of the world’s best-known brands. Gaming lies at the intersection of entertainment and media, and I believe PLAYSTUDIOS is uniquely positioned to exploit its unique position and rapidly growing potential. I am excited to contribute and help guide the company during this dynamic stage in its evolution,” said Sonnino.
Sonnino holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, a B.A. in computer science from Tel Aviv University, and a B.S. in mathematics and economics from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Before beginning her career in business, she served two years as a Course Commander in the Israeli Intelligence Forces. She lives with her husband, Avner, and their four daughters in Tel Aviv.
