Glu Mobile hires Niccolo de Masi as president and chief executive

Glu Mobile hires new CEO, president

SAN MATEO, Calif. — Mobile games publisher Glu Mobile Inc. said Monday it had hired Niccolo de Masi as its president and chief executive officer.

De Masi was formerly president and chief executive of technology company Hands-On Mobile and before that was the CEO of Monstermob Group PLC.

He was also granted the option to purchase 1.25 million of the company’s shares at an exercise price of $1.21, Monday’s closing price.

De Masi replaced board chairman Bill Miller, the interim CEO since December. Miller had stepped in briefly to replace CEO Greg Ballard, who announced he was leaving to seek a new challenge in July.

Glu shares rose 6 cents, or 5.2 percent, in regular trading on Monday.