Dave & Buster’s names Amanda Busby COO and Derek Sample chief accounting officer

Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: PLAY) reported that its board appointed Amanda Busby as chief operations officer and Derek Sample as chief accounting officer effective August 11, 2026, and later designated Sample as principal accounting officer. The same Form 8-K points to an August 24 press release announcing additional leadership appointments across marketing, technology, legal, and strategy.

Dave & Buster’s is refreshing a broad slice of its executive bench, starting with operations and accounting leadership that the company put into formal board action in mid-August.

COO and chief accounting officer

On August 11, 2026, the board of Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. appointed Amanda Busby, age 53, as chief operations officer. Busby most recently served as president of operational excellence, commercial, culinary and marketing at SSP America (July 2025–August 2026) and as SSP America’s chief operating officer from January 2022 to July 2025, where the company said she led operations for more than 450 restaurants across nearly 60 North American airports. She previously spent 19 years at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, ultimately as vice president of operations.

The same day, the board appointed Derek Sample, age 40, as chief accounting officer; on August 25, 2026, the board designated him principal accounting officer. Sample most recently was vice president of business transformation at Six Flags Entertainment Corporation (July 2024–July 2026) and earlier served as Six Flags’ chief accounting officer (September 2022–July 2024) before the Six Flags–Cedar Fair combination. He also served as corporate controller at PHI Aviation and began his career at KPMG.

Compensatory terms disclosed

Busby’s employment agreement provides an annualized base salary of $450,000, a target annual cash bonus of 70% of salary, LTIP eligibility, and standard benefits. On August 31, 2026 she received a one-time grant of 72,464 RSUs (three equal annual installments), a stock option for 74,294 shares at an $8.97 exercise price that becomes earned if the stock reaches specified multiples of that price by August 31, 2029 and then vests in three equal annual installments, and PSUs covering up to 55,741 shares tied to same-store sales targets. Qualifying terminations carry 12 months of base salary, unpaid and pro-rata bonus based on actual performance, and 12 months of medical premium continuation, subject to a release and covenant compliance, plus non-compete (up to one year) and non-solicit (up to two years).

Sample’s agreement provides a $315,000 annualized base salary, a 50% target bonus (prorated for fiscal 2026), LTIP eligibility, and benefits. His August 31 grant includes 39,019 RSUs (three equal annual installments), an option for 52,006 shares at $8.97 with the same earn/vest structure through August 31, 2029, and PSUs for up to 39,019 shares on same-store sales targets, with parallel severance/restrictive-covenant terms.

Additional leadership named in the press release

Under Item 8.01, the company said that on August 24, 2026 it issued a press release (Exhibit 99.1) announcing the Busby and Sample appointments plus Jeremy Tucker as chief marketing officer, Kevin Fish as chief technology and digital officer, Rachel Morgan as chief legal and administrative officer and corporate secretary, and Aldo Rosales as chief strategy and revenue management officer. The Form 8-K attaches Busby’s employment agreement as Exhibit 10.1 and the press release as Exhibit 99.1. The filing was signed by Rachel Morgan as chief legal officer and corporate secretary and accepted by the SEC on September 21, 2026.