Prior to his time at Red Robot Labs, Hawley also worked in various senior positions for companies such as Lionhead Studios, Sony London and Criterion, the latter of which at the time was part of Electronic Arts (EA).
Hawley’s appointment is the latest in a management overhaul by Zynga chief executive officer Don Mattrick.
Other recent appointments include the addition of Regina Dugan, a vice-president of engineering at internet search engine giant Google, who joined the company’s board in July.
David Lee was also named as the firm’s new chief financial officer and chief accounting officer in April.