CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 3, 2026) – Fastbreak AI, the leading AI-driven sports operations software company, today announced that Craig Sharkey has joined the company as General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer. Sharkey will lead Fastbreak AI’s legal and compliance strategy, with responsibility for privacy, data governance, security, payments, financial compliance and corporate risk as the company continues to scale its AI-powered sports operations platform.
Sharkey brings deep experience advising technology companies operating in highly regulated environments, helping organizations balance innovation with strong governance while building scalable frameworks across privacy, cybersecurity, compliance and global regulatory requirements.
Prior to joining Fastbreak AI, Sharkey served as Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel and Chief Privacy & Data Governance Officer at Western Union, where he led legal teams overseeing privacy, cybersecurity and digital commerce across international markets. Before that, he spent 18 years at Walmart, most recently as Vice President and Division General Counsel supporting technology, sourcing, intellectual property and shared services.Earlier in his career, he practiced litigation and served as corporate counsel at Tyson Foods.
“Fastbreak is building technology that plays a critical role in how thousands of sports organizations operate, and that responsibility comes with a high bar for trust,” Sharkey said. “What attracted me to Fastbreak is the opportunity to help scale a platform the right way, with strong foundations around data privacy and security, while enabling the business to move quickly and serve customers effectively.”
At Fastbreak AI, Sharkey will strengthen the company’s governance framework as it expands globally, ensuring its technology, payments infrastructure and data practices meet the expectations of customers, partners and regulators. As the company expands across professional, amateur and youth sports, security and compliance have become central to its growth strategy, especially as it supports organizations serving young athletes and families. His leadership will help position Fastbreak for long-term, scalable growth as these regulatory requirements evolve.
“Trust is everything in youth and amateur sports,” Fastbreak AI Co-Founder and CEO John Stewart said. “Parents, leagues and organizations trust us with sensitive data, payments and operations that power their events and programs, which means we have to maintain a high standard for operational and compliance. Craig has spent his career leading governance and risk functions in some of the most complex regulatory environments globally, and his leadership ensures we continue to scale with the discipline and integrity the sports industry demands.”
Sharkey earned a Juris Doctor from Vanderbilt University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Duke University.
About Fastbreak AI
From professional leagues to amateur sports organizations and youth tournament operators, Fastbreak software streamlines scheduling and operations to increase revenue, efficiency and improve the experience for everyone involved in sport. Founded in 2022, Fastbreak is a private company headquartered in Charlotte, NC with customers around the world. Learn more at www.fastbreak.ai.
