Niccolo de Masi
About Niccolo de Masi
Independent Class III director and current Lead Independent Director of Rush Street Interactive (RSI). Age 44, first joined the RSI board in September 2019, with deep operating and board experience across mobile, gaming, and technology; B.A. and MSci in physics from Cambridge University . The Board affirms his independence under NYSE rules (including Rule 10A-3 for audit committees) and designated him as Lead Director, presiding over executive sessions and acting as liaison between independent directors and management .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glu Mobile | Chairman; prior President & CEO | Chair since Dec 2014; CEO 2010–2016; director since Jan 2010 | Led mobile gaming scale-up and strategic direction |
| Essential (Andy Rubin) | President | Nov 2016–Oct 2018 | Led consumer hardware launch/strategy |
| Resideo Technologies (NYSE: REZI) | Director | Oct 2018–Jan 2020 | Board oversight during spin/early public phase |
| Xura | Director; Audit Committee member | Nov 2015–Aug 2016 | Financial oversight during transformation |
| Hands-On Mobile | CEO | 2008–2009 | Turnaround/operator experience |
| Monstermob | CEO | 2004–2007 | Early mobile content operator leadership |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) | President & CEO; Director (until Feb 2025) | Board/committees Sept 2021–Feb 2025; CEO current | Served on Board, Audit, Nominating & Governance, and Compensation committees during tenure |
| Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) | Director; Audit Committee | Since Dec 2021 | Ongoing audit oversight |
| Genius Sports (NYSE: GENI) | Director; Compensation Committee | Apr 2021–Dec 2023 | Sports data/adjacent to gaming |
| dMY Technology Group, Inc. VI (NYSE: DMYS) | CEO & Director | Since Apr 2021 | SPAC leadership |
| dMY Squared (NYSE: DMYY) | CEO & Director | Since Oct 2022 | SPAC leadership |
| Ares Interactive, Inc. | Director | Since May 2024 | Private tech/gaming exposure |
| Jagex Ltd. | Director | Since Jan 2021 | Online gaming IP stewardship |
| UCLA Grand Challenges | Leadership Council | Ongoing | Academic/innovation engagement |
The RSI Board reviewed his multiple commitments and determined they do not impair his effectiveness on RSI’s Board or committees .
Board Governance
- Board class: Class III director; Board fixed at 11 members with staggered terms .
- Independence: Board determined de Masi is independent (NYSE standards) and meets audit committee independence (Rule 10A-3) .
- Lead Independent Director: Designated Lead Director; presides over executive sessions and serves as liaison with Chair/CEO .
- Committee assignments:
- Audit Committee member (Chair: Daniel Yih); all members independent; Yih is “financial expert” .
- Compensation Committee member (Chair: Neil Bluhm). As a controlled company, committee not fully independent; de Masi is the only independent member .
- Nominating & Corporate Governance (NCG) Committee member (Chair: Neil Bluhm); de Masi is only independent member .
- Attendance: Board held six meetings in 2024; de Masi attended >75% of Board and committee meetings; all directors attended the 2024 annual meeting .
- Controlled company: RSI relies on NYSE “controlled company” exemptions; Board not majority independent; Compensation and NCG committees not fully independent .
Fixed Compensation
- Director Compensation Program: Annual equity retainer of $125,000 in RSUs for eligible non-founder non-employee directors, granted at trailing 60-day average price; vests at the next annual meeting, contingent on continued service .
- Ad hoc committee fees: $10,000 per month for chair or $5,000 per month for members of special committees/subcommittees; de Masi and Yih were eligible for such payments in part of 2024 .
- 2024 actuals: de Masi received $45,000 in cash fees; no stock awards in 2024 (his eligibility under the Director Compensation Program commenced January 1, 2025) .
| Year | Cash Fees ($) | Equity ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 45,000 | — | Fees relate to special/ad hoc committee service; RSU program eligibility begins 1/1/2025 |
Performance Compensation
- No performance-based compensation is disclosed for non-employee directors; the program uses time-based RSUs to promote alignment and retention .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Sector relation to RSI | Potential interlock/conflict note |
|---|---|---|
| Genius Sports (past) | Sports data/technology; adjacent supplier to sportsbooks | Past role could create informational adjacency; ended Dec 2023 |
| Planet Labs | Geospatial/tech (no direct gaming overlap) | Audit committee role; low conflict risk |
| IonQ | Quantum computing (no gaming overlap) | Time-commitment consideration; Board deemed acceptable . |
| dMY VI & dMY Squared | SPACs | Sponsor rights designate de Masi to RSI Board (see Investor Rights Agreement) . |
Sponsor designation: Under the Investor Rights Agreement, the SPAC sponsor (dMY Sponsor, LLC) has nomination rights; as of 2025 the sponsor is entitled to designate one director—de Masi currently serves as that Class III designee .
Expertise & Qualifications
- Technology and mobile/app leadership; extensive gaming sector experience; chair and CEO track record .
- Committee-ready: prior service on audit, compensation, and nom-gov committees at multiple public companies .
- Education: Cambridge University B.A., MSci in physics .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Class A Shares | % of Class A | Class V Shares | % Voting Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Niccolo de Masi (via Isalea Investments LP) | 1,784,375 | 1.9% | — | <1% |
Governance Assessment
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Strengths:
- Independent Lead Director with oversight of executive sessions; member on all three standing committees; audit committee independence affirmed .
- Meaningful personal ownership (1.9% of Class A), aligning interests; no pledging or related-party dealings involving de Masi disclosed .
- Board confirmed his multiple external commitments do not impair effectiveness .
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Risks and RED FLAGS:
- Controlled company structure: Board not majority independent; Compensation and NCG committees chaired by Executive Chairman with de Masi as the sole independent member—heightened risk of influence concentration and reduced checks and balances .
- Sponsor nomination rights: de Masi is a sponsor-designee under the Investor Rights Agreement—potential perception of allegiance to sponsor interests versus minority shareholders .
- Attendance information is aggregated (>75% threshold) rather than precise rates—limits granularity of engagement assessment .
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Compensation alignment:
- Director pay primarily in RSUs vesting annually to encourage ownership; de Masi’s 2024 pay was cash-only for special committee work, with RSU eligibility starting in 2025—neutral alignment signal pending 2025 grant disclosure .
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Overall implication for investors:
- De Masi enhances board effectiveness through independent leadership and committee breadth, but controlled company exemptions and sponsor designation introduce governance overhang. Monitoring committee decision-making, independence safeguards, and future director equity grants will be important for assessing investor confidence in RSI’s governance trajectory .