Scott Peterson
PLAYSTUDIOSAbout Scott Peterson
Scott Peterson, age 58, is Chief Financial Officer of PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYPS), serving since June 21, 2021; he previously served as CFO of Old PLAYSTUDIOS from June 2017. He holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California and has over two decades of senior finance leadership, including CFO roles at Wynn Macau (from 2005) and Wynn Las Vegas (2009–2015) overseeing finance, accounting, compliance, and internal controls . Company performance context: Q3 2025 net revenues declined to $57.6M (from $71.2M YoY) and Consolidated AEBITDA fell to $7.2M (from $14.6M YoY); management lowered full-year outlook below prior guidance ranges, underscoring pressure on monetization and growth initiatives .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLAYSTUDIOS, Inc. | Chief Financial Officer | Jun 21, 2021–Present | Leads finance for a public mobile gaming company; responsible for accounting, financial management, compliance and controls |
| Old PLAYSTUDIOS | Chief Financial Officer | Jun 2017–Jun 21, 2021 | Senior finance leadership during pre-SPAC period; aligned finance operations with growth strategy |
| Wynn Macau | Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | 2005–2009 | Principal finance officer during property buildout and operations; oversight of controls and regulatory compliance |
| Wynn Las Vegas | Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer | 2009–2015 | Led finance, accounting, casino/hotel finance operations and Sarbanes-Oxley/Nevada Gaming Control Board compliance |
External Roles
No external public-company directorships disclosed for Peterson in the proxy filings .
Fixed Compensation
| Metric | FY 2022 | FY 2023 | FY 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary ($) | 331,923 | 350,000 | 398,077 |
| Actual Bonus Paid ($) | 85,000 (paid in 2023) | 100,000 (paid in 2024) | 100,000 (paid in 2025) |
| Stock Awards ($) | 2,290,500 | — | 1,958,004 |
| All Other Compensation ($) | 81,638 | 7,100 | — |
| Total Compensation ($) | 2,789,062 | 457,100 | 2,456,084 |
Notes:
- Executive program includes base salary, discretionary annual cash bonus, and equity-based long-term compensation (RSUs), emphasizing multi-year vesting and retention .
Performance Compensation
RSUs (Time-Based)
| Grant Date | Number of RSUs | Outstanding at 12/31/2024 (#) | Market Value at 12/31/2024 ($) | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2024 | 583,335 | 583,335 | 1,085,003 (at $1.86 close) | Multi-year vesting under 2021 Plan |
PSUs (Performance-Based)
| Grant Date | Number of PSUs | Performance Metric | Outcome | Payout | Market Value shown at 12/31/2024 ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 11, 2024 | 83,333 | FY2024 financial performance targets | Targets not achieved | 0 | 154,999 (pre-determination; did not vest) |
Option Awards
| Grant Date | Exercisable Options (#) | Unexercisable (#) | Strike Price ($) | Expiration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 29, 2017 | 67,974 | — | 1.01 | Apr 1, 2027 |
| Feb 28, 2019 | 67,971 | — | 1.44 | Jan 1, 2029 |
Notes:
- Company currently grants RSUs/PSUs; it disclosed it does not grant stock options today (legacy options remain outstanding) .
- At 12/31/2024 closing price of $1.86, both legacy option tranches were in-the-money in aggregate .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Metric | As of Apr 10, 2024 | As of May 28, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Total Beneficial Ownership (shares) | 928,908 | 762,366 |
| Ownership as % of Shares Outstanding | <1.0% | <1.0% |
| Trust/Direct Shares (#) | 459,629 (Scott E. Peterson Trust) | 626,421 (Scott E. Peterson Trust) |
| Options Exercisable within 60 Days (#) | 135,945 | 135,945 |
| RSUs Expected to Vest within 60 Days (#) | 333,334 | — (none disclosed) |
Alignment Policies and Practices:
- Hedging and shorting of Company stock are prohibited for directors, officers, and employees .
- Pledging Company stock (including margin accounts) is prohibited .
- Section 16(a) compliance: no failures to timely file reported for FY2024 and FY2023, respectively .
Employment Terms
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| Employment Agreement | None; at-will employment |
| Severance Plan (adopted Mar 7, 2025) | Peterson designated Tier 2 Participant |
| Non-CIC Qualifying Termination | Cash: 0.5x annual base salary; Benefits: up to 6 months medical/dental/vision; Equity: unvested awards generally lapse unless Compensation Committee determines otherwise |
| CIC Qualifying Termination (double-trigger) | Cash: 1.0x annual base salary + 1.0x annual target bonus; Benefits: up to 12 months medical/dental/vision; Equity: full vesting equal to 2x Time-Based Annual Equity Target and 2x Performance-Based Annual Equity Target, with top-up issuance if needed to reach those amounts |
| Conditions | Requires execution and non-revocation of a general release and compliance with restrictive covenants (confidentiality, non-solicit/non-compete/invention assignment as applicable) |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance discipline: FY2024 PSUs did not vest due to missed financial targets, indicating the compensation program has teeth; equity mix is largely RSUs with multi-year vesting, which should mitigate immediate selling pressure but creates ongoing supply as awards settle .
- Insider selling pressure: 583,335 RSUs granted in Mar 2024 remained outstanding at FY-end, representing potential future settlement volume; pledging/hedging prohibitions reduce alignment red flags .
- Retention and change-of-control economics: As Tier 2, Peterson’s severance is modest outside CIC (0.5x salary) and increases to 1.0x salary + target bonus with substantial equity acceleration on double-trigger CIC, balancing retention with shareholder protections (requires release and covenant compliance) .
- Execution risk backdrop: With revenue and AEBITDA softness and reduced guidance, finance leadership must deliver stabilization and DTC monetization; compensation outcomes (e.g., PSU zero payout) align incentives toward improved financial performance .