FanDuel names ex-Amazon and PepsiCo director as chief people officer
Flutter-owned operator opts for Caralyn Cooley to take the reins as FanDuel's chief people officer as CEO Amy Howe describes her as the “ideal fit”
FanDuel has named Caralyn Cooley as the operator’s new chief people officer (CPO) two months after her predecessor Tricia Alcamo stepped down.
Former Amazon head Cooley will join FanDuel’s executive leadership team, of which all members report to CEO Amy Howe.
Cooley succeeds Alcamo in the role, with the previous CPO having spent two years in the role before announcing that she would be devoting her next chapter to family in a statement posted to LinkedIn in July.
As CPO, Cooley will be responsible for overseeing the acceleration of FanDuel’s people strategy which the US sports betting leader said was reflective of “the company’s extraordinary growth trajectory”.
The company’s HR department, talent acquisition, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I), and organisational effectiveness will all be headed up by Cooley.
She will also be tasked with guiding employee branding, training, learning and development, as well as the employee benefits department.
FanDuel’s latest addition brings a wealth of experience to the position, having served as a CPO at several major companies, including her most recent role with Bowery Farming.
Cooley spent more than five years with the New York-based vertical farming and digital agriculture company between April 2019 and September 2024.
During her time with the group, Bowery Farming went from having one location to becoming the largest vertical farming company in the US.
Alongside her duties at Bowery Farming, Cooley also worked as an adviser for Plenty Search, a search firm for fast-growth, venture-backed startups for exactly 12 months from March 2023 until March of this year.
Prior to that, Cooley’s first foray into the gaming industry took place when she joined mobile games developer Nordeus, based in the firm’s main offices in Belgrade, Serbia.
She spent just shy of two years with the group from May 2017 until March 2019.
Cooley also boasts experience with some of the biggest companies in the world, including a four-year stint with Amazon, which she left as a HR director, and just under six years at PepsiCo, where she was promoted from HR manager to HR director within two years.
FanDuel CEO Howe declared: “I am very excited to welcome Caralyn to FanDuel.
“Throughout her distinguished career Caralyn has held global roles building highly effective people teams that drive performance and reflect the needs of today’s diverse corporate culture.
“Her energy and passion for sports and the gaming sector made her an ideal fit, and her arrival strengthens our executive leadership team.”
Cooley echoed a similar sentiment, taking to LinkedIn to write: “I’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined FanDuel. As someone with a deep passion for sports, gaming, and a competitive spirit, this opportunity to join FanDuel feels like the perfect match.
“A huge thank you to all the FanDuelers who have already shown me such a warm welcome. I’m excited to join this incredible team and look forward to everything we will achieve together.”
Arnold Ash is EGR’s Executive Recruitment Partner. They support ambitious organisations to identify and attract industry leading executive talent. Find out more here.